Flying taxis, robotic avatars and holograms — Saudi Arabia pushes ahead with its sci-fi city vision

Published

3 years ago

October 25, 2022

admin

The future Site of the city Neom, a planned cross-border city, stands empty before development begins in the Tabuk Province of northwestern Saudi Arabia, December 18, 2019. Picture taken December 18, 2019.

Lucas Jackson | Reuters

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — If you’ve been seeing mysterious Bladerunner-type ads popping up on your phone recently for Neom in Saudi Arabia and wondered what on earth you’re looking at it’s not surprising — this futuristic desert development is eye-popping in its ambition.

With a mammoth budget of $500 billion, Neom is a key element of Saudi’s Vision 2030 plan originally launched back in 2016 as part of the kingdom’s mission to diversify away from its oil-dependent economy. Excavation work started this month along the entire length of the project.

The development has received its fair share of skepticism around feasibility, with a raft of articles in publications ranging from The Guardian to the Financial Times including commentary from architects who conclude the project is a pipe dream. Other critics note its carbon emissions among broader concerns.

Located on a coastal strip in Tabuk in the northwest of the country, there are three areas of Neom that have been officially announced — primarily The Line, a linear city with Utopian vistas straight out of a Hollywood movie.

Composed of two parallel skyscrapers that cut right through the desert for 170 kilometers from the coast to the mountains, The Line will be 200 meters wide and soar to a height of 500 meters (higher than most of the world’s towers) — and for an added surreal touch, will be encased on all sides with gigantic mirrors.

The project is based on a new concept of “zero gravity urbanism,” which is the idea of layering city functions vertically, while enabling inhabitants to move seamlessly in three directions (up, down, and across). When completed it could accommodate up to 9 million residents.

NEOM political map of the 500 billion dollar megacity project in Saudi Arabia along the Red Sea coast. Location of the smart and tourist city with autonomous judicial system. English labeling. Vector.

Peterhermesfurian | Istock | Getty Images

Cynicism toward the project is something Neom leaders acknowledge but strongly rebuff.

“I want to be clear about this — Neom is a complex, bold, and highly ambitious undertaking and is most certainly not an easy one to deliver,” Antoni Vives, chief urban planning officer at Neom, told CNBC.

“But we are making strong progress, and it’s exciting to see the vision come to life.”

While construction of this “Oz of the Middle East” is only at the beginning stages, there’s already a push to lure top international talent across industries such as tourism, technology, and entertainment to come and live and work. And there seems to be plenty of cash on the table to attract talent, with some reports suggesting Neom is paying top executives as much as $1.1 million a year.

For those who do make the leap, they’ll be signing up for a world of no roads, no cars — only flying taxis — plus a high-speed rail with an end-to-end transit time of just 20 minutes. Then there are the robotic avatars and holograms set to become part of everyday life.

The other planned Neom areas are Oxagon, a “gateway to advanced and clean industries,” which will become the largest floating industrial complex in the world — and Trojena, a year-round destination with mountain quality dry air, a ski slope, mountain biking, water sports, wellness facilities, and an interactive nature reserve.

A handout image provided by NEOM on Oct. 5, shows a view of the design plan for Trojena.

– | Afp | Getty Images

According to the planners, each area will be powered solely by renewable energy, sustainably connected, and surrounded by nature that will be re-greened and rewilded.

Aside from buzz around mind-bending Neom, there’s a larger picture emerging in the world’s fastest growing economy. According to global real estate consultancy Knight Frank, the total value of real estate and infrastructure projects since the launch of Saudi Arabia’s National Transformation Plan in 2016 has now crossed $1.1 trillion.

“We are currently tracking 15 giga projects in various phases of construction around the Kingdom, many of which are new standalone super-cities in their own right,” commented Knight Frank’s Harmen de Jong, partner and head of real estate strategy and consulting for Saudi Arabia.

For business owners who have long worked in the Middle East, Neom represents a new era. “I believe this project is unprecedented and will drive innovation and technology as we have never seen before,” Catherine Granger, the CEO of regional artificial intelligence specialist Trajan Consulting, told CNBC.

AI is set to be “the beating heart” of Neom, as outlined at the Global AI Summit recently in Riyadh.

Granger’s firm has been working closely with Neom and she believes the view of Saudi Arabia among the business community has changed inexorably. “Global multinationals now view the country as one of the most prolific business epicenters in the world,” she said.

Indeed, Neom is placed to potentially become a global gateway for international trade, not least because of its strategic location on the Red Sea through which almost 13% of the world’s trade passes — plus 40% of the global population is within a six-hour flight.

On top of enticing the hardcore business investment, Neom has grand plans for the world of art and culture, recently opening Neom Media Village and Bajdah Desert Studios which together comprise the country’s largest sound stages and film production support facilities. The aim is to transform and grow the kingdom’s media industry — another key focus of the Vision 2030 plan.

Visitors watch a 3D presentation during an exhibition on ‘Neom’, a new business and industrial city, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, October 25, 2017.

Faisal Al Nasser | Reuters

Environment

Toxic Pennsylvania mineland is about to become a big solar farm

Published

15 hours ago

December 13, 2025

admin

Toxic Pennsylvania mineland is about to become a big solar farm

Pennsylvania mineland solar — Photos of the existing contaminated minelands that will be converted to solar under the recently approved Black Moshannon solar project in Rush Township, Centre County PA (Photo: PennEnvironment)

Rush Township supervisors in Centre County, Pennsylvania, voted this week to greenlight a key permit for the Black Moshannon Solar project – a large solar development that would turn toxic former mineland into a major source of clean power.

If built, the Pennsylvania solar project would generate 265 megawatts of electricity – enough to power about 200,000 homes annually – on nearly 2,000 acres of toxic mineland. Developers deliberately chose the site, as the project is designed to reclaim land left behind by mining and fold environmental cleanup into the solar buildout.

According to project plans, the site would be restored with pollinators and pollinator-friendly ground cover planted beneath the solar panels. Developers have also committed to ongoing water quality and soil testing during construction and operations, along with soil improvements such as applying lime to help neutralize mining-related contamination and support vegetation growth.

Beyond the environmental cleanup, the project is expected to deliver a financial boost to the region. Black Moshannon Solar is projected to generate more than $5 million in tax revenue for the Phillipsburg-Osceola Area School District, along with more than $700,000 in direct tax payments to Centre County.

Advertisement – scroll for more content

Environmental and energy advocates praised the township’s decision. David Masur, executive director of PennEnvironment, called the vote a model for other communities across the state. “We are hopeful that other local government officials across Pennsylvania will follow Rush Township’s lead and implement similar, much-needed solar projects all across the Keystone State.”

Jim Gregory, executive director of the Conservative Energy Network-Pennsylvania, also applauded the approval. “In 40 years, their forward-thinking decisions will be recognized as catalysts for environmental protection, public health improvements, and economic prosperity.”

If you’re looking to replace your old HVAC equipment, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you’re finding a trusted, reliable HVAC installer near you that offers competitive pricing on heat pumps, check out EnergySage. EnergySage is a free service that makes it easy for you to get a heat pump. They have pre-vetted heat pump installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high quality solutions. Plus, it’s free to use!

Your personalized heat pump quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here. – *ad

Add Electrek as a preferred source on Google

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Environment

Genesis GV90 leaks as breathtaking ultra-luxe SUV with coach doors [Video]

Published

18 hours ago

December 12, 2025

admin

Genesis GV90 leaks as breathtaking ultra-luxe SUV with coach doors [Video]

Genesis is gearing up to launch the stunning new flagship SUV. Ahead of its official debut, the GV90 leaked during an internal presentation, revealing our first look at the ultra-luxe electric SUV.

Genesis GV90 leak reveals coach doors and more

The GV90 is arriving as the largest, most luxurious Genesis SUV to date. Based on the Neolun Concept, the new flagship SUV will sit above the GV80 as Genesis expands into new segments.

As Genesis calls it, the “ultra-luxe, state-of-the-art SUV” stole the spotlight at the New York Auto Show last March.

It wasn’t the stunning, reductive design inspired by Korea’s moon-shaped porcelain jars or the premium Royal Indigo and Purple silk materials that caught most people’s attention at the event, but the B-pillarless coach doors.

Advertisement – scroll for more content

The SUV was showcased with Rolls-Royce-like coach doors, offering a new level of luxury for Genesis. Although we’ve seen the GV90 spotted out in public testing a few times now with coach doors, we wondered if they would make it to the production model.

After the full-size SUV reportedly leaked during an internal presentation, it looks like we’ve found our answer. The Genesis GV90 leak reveals two versions: a standard model and a coach-door model.

The leaked images from our friends at ShortsCar offer our first look at the production version in full. Earlier this month, a GV90 prototype was spotted out in public with the coach doors wide open, providing a sneak peek of the interior.

From what was shown, the cabin will feature a similar layout to the concept, with high-end purple and indigo materials. The GV90 was also caught with an all-black interior, which is expected to be the standard version.

A new video from the folks over at HealerTV offers a closer look at the breathtaking interior ahead of its official debut.

The GV90 appears to retain the gear selector located near the top of the steering wheel from the Neolun concept.

[embedded content]

Another report, from TheKoreanCarBlog, confirms the new gear selector after the first interior spy shots surfaced.

From what we’ve seen so far, the GV90 is shaping up to be a near replica of the ultra-luxe Neolun concept. Genesis has yet to announce a launch date for the GV90, but it is expected to make an official debut by the end of the year with sales starting in mid-2026.

Prices and final specs, like driving range, will be revealed closer to launch, but the Genesis GV90 is rumoured to be the first vehicle to ride on Hyundai’s new eM platform.

Hyundai said the new platform will deliver a 50% improvement in range compared to its current E-GMP-based EVs, such as the IONIQ 5. It’s also expected to offer Level 3 autonomous driving as well as other advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) features.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Environment

Battery storage hits $65/MWh – a tipping point for solar

Published

19 hours ago

December 12, 2025

admin

Battery storage hits /MWh – a tipping point for solar

solar battery storage — Photo: Enel North America

Turning cheap daytime solar into electricity you can actually use at night just got a lot cheaper. A new analysis from energy think tank Ember shows that utility-scale battery storage costs have fallen to $65 per megawatt-hour (MWh) as of October 2025 in markets outside China and the US. At that level, pairing solar with batteries to deliver power when it’s needed is now economically viable.

Battery storage costs have fallen dramatically over the past two years, and the decline continues. Following a steep decline in 2024, Ember’s analysis indicates that prices continued to fall sharply again in 2025.

The findings are based on real-world data from recent battery and solar-plus-storage auctions in Italy, Saudi Arabia, and India, as well as interviews with active developers across global markets.

According to Ember, the cost of a whole, grid-connected utility-scale battery storage system for long-duration projects (four hours or more) is now about $125 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) as of October 2025. That figure applies to projects outside China and the US. Core battery equipment delivered from China costs around $75/kWh, while installation and grid connection typically add another $50/kWh.

Advertisement – scroll for more content

Those lower upfront costs have pushed down the levelized cost of storage (LCOS) to just $65/MWh. Ember’s calculation reflects real-world assumptions around financing costs, system lifetime, efficiency, and battery degradation.

Cheaper hardware isn’t the only reason storage costs are falling. Longer battery lifetimes, higher efficiencies, and lower financing costs, helped by clearer revenue models such as auctions, have all contributed to the sharp drop in LCOS. Ember has published a live calculator alongside the report, allowing users to estimate LCOS using their own assumptions.

Why this matters comes down to how solar is actually used. Most solar power is generated during the day, so only a portion needs to be stored to make it dispatchable. Ember estimates that if half of daytime solar generation is shifted to nighttime, the $65/MWh storage cost adds about $33/MWh to the cost of solar electricity.

With the global average price of solar at $43/MWh in 2024, adding storage would bring the total cost to about $76/MWh, delivering power in a way that better matches real demand.

As Ember global electricity analyst Kostantsa Rangelova put it, after a 40% drop in battery equipment costs in 2024, the industry is now on track for another major fall in 2025. The economics of battery storage, she said, are “unrecognizable,” and the industry is still adjusting to this new reality.

“Solar is no longer just cheap daytime electricity; now it’s anytime dispatchable electricity. This is a game-changer for countries with fast-growing demand and strong solar resources,” Rangelova added.

Together, solar and battery storage are increasingly emerging as a scalable, secure, and affordable foundation for future power systems.

Your personalized heat pump quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here. – *ad

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.