Saudi Arabia lines up new green hydrogen partners
Japanese and French tie-ups highlight momentum behind the Kingdom’s plans
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s state visit to Saudi Arabia in mid-July yielded a pledge to cooperate on hydrogen development, a week after the Kingdom signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with France to the same effect. Such promises have become almost routine when either Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the de facto ruler, or his influential energy minister, Abdulaziz bin Salman, meet international counterparts. It is reflective of the centrality of the nascent sector to Riyadh’s economic diversification plan, but in the case of both Tokyo and Paris—as well as Seoul, with which international cooperation is most-advanced—the rhetoric is giving rise to more-concrete agreements
Also in this section
6 January 2026
Shifts in government policy and rising power demand will shape the clean hydrogen sector as it attempts to gain momentum following a sluggish performance in 2025
23 December 2025
Government backing and inflow of private capital point to breakthrough year for rising star of the country’s clean energy sector
19 December 2025
The hydrogen industry faces an important choice: coordinated co-evolution or patched-together piecemeal development. The way forward is integrated co-evolution, and freight corridors are a good example
10 December 2025
Project developer Meld Energy ready to accelerate 100MW project in Humber region after securing investment from energy transition arm of private equity firm Schroders Capital






