Desert Giants: How a 4GWh BESS Deployment Will Redefine Energy Resilience in Saudi Arabia

Introduction

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, - HiTHIUM, a leading global manufacturer of energy storage solutions, has been awarded a major contract by Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) to deploy two battery energy storage system projects in northern Saudi Arabia's Tabuk and Hail provinces. The total capacity of the projects is 4GWh, utilizing HiTHIUM's long-duration energy storage battery cells in ∞Power 6.25MWh Desert Eagle Battery Energy Storage System (BESS). This landmark project, developed in partnership with Alfanar Projects, represents one of the largest BESS deployments in the Middle East and will play a pivotal role in advancing Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 by enhancing grid stability and renewable energy integration.

Consequently, the award signifies both strategic ambition and technical confidence. Moreover, the initiative directly aligns with national objectives to increase renewable penetration while maintaining reliable supply. Therefore, stakeholders should expect measurable improvements in system flexibility and long-term operational resilience.

Innovation Meets Extreme Environments

Leveraging HiTHIUM's industry-leading ∞Cell 1175Ah technology – the world's first mass-produced long-duration energy storage solution – the project features ∞Power 6.25MWh Desert Eagle series containerized systems specifically engineered for Saudi Arabia's harsh climate.

Heat Resilience: Multi-layer insulation reduces internal temperatures by 8–10°C, ensuring reliable operation in -30°C to 60°C. Sandstorm Protection: Fully sealed components and automated dust alerts minimize maintenance needs. Proven Durability: Critical components rated for 40,000+ hours of continuous operation. Thus, the technical design anticipates environmental stressors and mitigates operational risk proactively.

In addition, the modular containerized approach facilitates rapid deployment and scalable expansion. Consequently, project developers can adapt capacity to evolving demand patterns while preserving lifecycle economics and safety standards.

Strategic Impact & Local Commitment

The BESS will provide critical grid services, including load shifting, black-start capabilities, frequency regulation, and voltage support, enabling higher renewable energy penetration and reducing reliance on fossil fuels. As the technology provider, HiTHIUM will oversee system design, supply, installation supervision, and long-term maintenance, while will lead Alfanar Projects leads construction, with commissioning targeted for 2026.

Dr. Keramat Fakhari, President of MEA at HiTHIUM highlighted: "This landmark 4GWh project marks a pivotal moment—not just for Saudi Arabia, but for HiTHIUM's commitment to delivering mission-critical energy storage where it matters most. By integrating our industry-leading ∞Cell technology with SEC's vision and Alfanar's regional expertise, we're redefining renewable integration in extreme environments. The deployments in Tabuk and Hail set a new benchmark for gigawatt-scale storage globally, proving HiTHIUM's role in accelerating the clean energy transition." Accordingly, the collaboration demonstrates tangible local commitment and strengthens regional supply-chain and technical capacity.

In summary, this deployment combines advanced long-duration storage technology with climate-hardened engineering and strategic partnership, thereby advancing both operational reliability and sustainability goals. Ultimately, the Tabuk and Hail BESS projects will serve as demonstrable catalysts for broader energy transition efforts across the Middle East.

HUMAIN Chat: A Landmark in Arabic Conversational AI from Riyadh to the World

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, marks a pivotal moment in the evolution of Arabic-language artificial intelligence. Consequently, HUMAIN, a Public Investment Fund (PIF) company building end-to-end AI capabilities, today announced the launch of HUMAIN Chat, a next-generation Arabic conversational AI app powered by ALLAM 34B, HUMAIN’s flagship Arabic large language model. This launch demonstrates a deliberate effort to advance linguistic equity and digital inclusion, and it sets a new standard for culturally informed AI.

Context and Significance

Available on web, iOS, and Android, HUMAIN Chat is launching first in Saudi Arabia as a national milestone, with regional rollout across the Middle East and global expansion to follow soon. Built in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, for the Arabic-speaking world, HUMAIN Chat represents a defining step in sovereign AI designed for cultural depth, linguistic equity, and global competitiveness. Moreover, HUMAIN Chat is built for the more than 400 million Arabic speakers and 2 billion Muslims worldwide who have been underserved by generative AI. For the first time, people can create, learn, and connect in their own language, culture, and context.

Product Features and Capabilities

Powered by ALLAM 34B, the app closes a historic gap in digital inclusion and enabling linguistic equality. HUMAIN Chat brings culturally intelligent responses grounded in our language, values, heritage and history. Features designed for real-world use include:

- Real-time web search for always up-to-date knowledge.

- Arabic speech input across multiple dialects.

- Seamless bilingual switching between Arabic and English within the same conversation.

- Conversation sharing to enable collaboration and reuse.

- Full compliance with Saudi PDPL, hosted end-to-end on HUMAIN infrastructure in the Kingdom.

Moreover, this is more than an app; it is the first release in our HUMAIN IQ portfolio: a new generation of AI model products and solutions where scientific depth meets responsible design.

Technical Foundation and Leadership

ALLAM 34B is not just another model, it is a milestone. HUMAIN’s ALLAM 34B builds on the previous released models developed by the National Center for AI under The Saudi Data & AI Authority (SDAIA) national mandate. ALLAM 34B, its most advanced model, has been independently verified by Cohere on MMLU as the world’s most advanced Arabic LLM built in the Arab world and will continue to improve with consumer engagement post launch. Arabic-first by design, yet fully bilingual in English, ALLAM 34B is trained on one of the largest Arabic datasets ever assembled, then refined with input from 600+ domain experts and 250 evaluators. The result: unmatched fluency in Arabic and deep alignment with Islamic, Middle Eastern, and cultural nuance. The team behind ALLAM and HUMAIN Chat embodies Saudi Arabia’s new generation of AI leadership. Over 120 AI specialists, including 35 PhD holders, with a 50/50 gender ratio, have built this model from the ground up - hosted in Saudi, by Saudis, with global talent alongside them.

Implications and Call to Action

ALLAM 34B’s technology is proof that Saudi Arabia is shaping the future of AI on its own terms, with talent, IP, and infrastructure rooted at home, and built for the world. As with all large language models, the more they are used, the smarter and more capable they become. Therefore, today’s launch of HUMAIN Chat across Saudi Arabia is a call to action: for every citizen to use it, test it, and help shape it into the world’s leading Arabic AI. This is a collective effort to deliver the best Arabic-first AI solution for the entire region, and soon, the world. A regional and global rollout of HUMAIN Chat will follow.

Tiny Apples, Big Ambitions: Rockit's Family Pack Arrives in the Middle East

Innovative New Zealand snack sized apple brand, Rockit has gone big with its miniature apples and launched a new Family Pack in the Middle East to meet strong consumer demand for every day sharing occasions.

Rockit's recent product launch exemplifies strategic innovation in response to consumer behaviour. Moreover, the new Family Pack builds upon the brand’s occasion-based marketing strategy by offering an accessible, shareable format that suits contemporary family life. Consequently, retailers and consumers alike should anticipate heightened interest during the upcoming Back-to-School season.

Furthermore, the Family Pack mirrors the well‑established attributes of the iconic Rockit Daily Pack. Just like the iconic Rockit Daily Pack, the Family Pack features a resealable lid keeping each Rockit™ apple in peak, ready-to-eat condition, and a grab-and-go handle made for sharing during all of life's little moments. Therefore, it preserves freshness while enabling convenient distribution at events, picnics, and school activities.

Market Position and Strategic Timing

Rockit General Manager Global Marketing, Julian Smith says the Family Pack has arrived just in time for the peak Back-to-School selling period and is expected to drive strong sales, open new distribution channels and introduce Rockit to new consumers. He explains that launching during this key period will satisfy increasing consumer demand by providing a sharing option tailored for diverse consumption occasions.

Moreover, Rockit’s omnichannel promotional plan promises robust in-store and digital activations. "Launching the Family Pack during this key period will help meet increasing consumer demand for Rockit, by providing a new sharing option to cater for a wider range of consumption occasions. From the busy weekday hustle to exciting weekend adventures, our Family Pack makes all of life's special little moments even better – whether it's a refreshing healthy snack in the school lunchbox, on the sports sideline, or at picnics, parties and events."

Brand Momentum and Consumer Engagement

Global consumer awareness and engagement for Rockit is continuing to improve each year, with Rockit brand sentiment recently reaching a record 90 percent (up four percent on Q4, 2024). Rockit Global Brand Manager, Hannah de Valda says this trend looks set to continue with the Family Pack featuring in its annual Back-to-School campaign, launching across the GCC countries from mid-August.

She adds that the campaign will emphasise shared experiences and participatory activations. "Focusing on sharing special moments, the Back-to-School campaign capitalises on the momentum of the 'Rockit Every Little Moment' promotion delivered earlier this year. The omnichannel campaign includes strong promotional activity including instore activations, giveaways, consumer events, gift with purchase and influencer collaborations to drive consumer engagement and sales."

Ultimately, Rockit seeks to consolidate its position as a leading premium apple brand while responding to regional consumer needs. The Rockit Family Pack is now available in stores and online across many GCC countries. Accordingly, families and retailers in the UAE and beyond can now enjoy a fresh, portable and shareable snacking solution that aligns with modern lifestyles.