By Saleh Fareed
Saudi Gazette
THE German Consulate General inaugurated the German Foreign Office’s “Germany’s Energy Transition: Touring Exhibition” in Jeddah on Wednesday, as part of its Energiewende initiative.
The exhibition was officiated with an The opening ceremony was attended by Holger G. Ziegeler, consul general of Germany in Jeddah, Khaled Al Juffali, managing partner and vice chairman, E.A. Juffali and Brothers and representatives of Alhokair group.
The first Arabic exhibition was opened at Al Yasmin Mall and showcased Germany’s renewable energy infrastructure, the history of the energy transition in Germany, and gave indications how other countries can improve their energy supplies from renewables.
Since the Energiewende has gained great recognition and interest from all over the world, the Jeddah exhibition is shown in Arabic for the first time and premiered two weeks ago in Riyadh to make Saudi Arabia the first country in the Middle East to host this exhibition.
Speaking to Saudi Gazette, Ziegeler said that Germany has put together a global roadshow advertising the merits of its energy transition. “We are proud to bring the exhibition on the German Energy Transition “Energiewende” to Jeddah in cooperation with Arabian Centres. Germany would like to be among the leaders of this development – we want Saudi Arabia to be part of this, and we want to work together with Saudi Arabia on renewable energies.”
He explained that Energy Transition is the answer to the question of how Germany as an industrialized country could make its energy supply secure, affordable and sustainable.
The consul general pointed out that the exhibition “Energiewende — Transforming Germany’s Energy System” can currently be seen in Jeddah and will now be open to the public at gate 2 of Al Yasmin Mall during the coming weeks.
Juffali told Saudi Gazette, “Saudi Arabia in a way, is embarking on its own energy transition as part of its 2030 vision, it is the ideal time to look at the German experience.”
According the consulate’s statement, Germany has decided to switch the country’s entire energy supply to renewables by 2050, one step at a time, pursuing clear and ambitious targets and using a precise road map. In 2016 the share of renewables in gross domestic power production reached 30%. At the same time, Germany is working on becoming increasingly energy efficient.
The exhibition consists of Arabic boards, which illustrate German economy’s transformation towards energy use. The exhibition gives an insight into the reasons for the transformation, the environmental and social benefits, energy storage problems and energy efficiency for industry and housing, renewable energy technologies for energy generation as well as economic issues and energy security.
