GlassPoint, a leader in industrial decarbonisation, has announced plans to develop the world’s largest industrial solar thermal project, Ma’aden I, in Saudi Arabia.
The project is a $1.5 billion partnership with Saudi mining giant Ma’aden and Spanish utility company Cox, which will also serve as the technical and delivery partner.
As part of this initiative, GlassPoint and Cox will construct the GlassPoint Ma’aden Technology Showcase (GMTS), a precursor to Ma’aden I, and collaborate on additional solar thermal projects globally. The GMTS integrates advanced solar-to-heat technology and thermal storage to reduce carbon emissions in Ma’aden’s aluminum supply chain.
Revolutionary technology and cost reductions
The GMTS will feature groundbreaking advancements, including anticlastic polymer membranes, high-performance niobium mirrors, and ternary liquid salt. These innovations reduce parts by 60%, weight by 75%, and significantly lower costs—30% for the solar field and 50% for the thermal storage system.
GlassPoint’s unique approach bypasses electricity, using reflective mirrors in a glasshouse to focus sunlight onto pipes filled with liquid salt, which stores and transfers energy. This system will provide a continuous base load of heat to Ma’aden’s Ras Al Khair refinery, which converts bauxite into alumina, a key material for aluminum production.
Environmental and economic impact
When fully operational, Ma’aden I will provide 65% of the steam required at Ma’aden’s refinery, reducing carbon emissions by 600,000 tons annually—equivalent to taking 130,000 cars off the road. The GMTS pilot phase will initially supply 1% of the refinery’s steam needs.
To support this initiative, GlassPoint, in partnership with Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Investment (MISA), will establish a solar manufacturing facility in the kingdom. This facility will create over 200 green jobs and export renewable energy components across the GCC, North Africa, and Southern Europe, contributing to Saudi Vision 2030 and the Saudi Green Initiative.
Leadership perspectives
Saudi Minister of Investment Khalid Al Falih highlighted the project as a milestone in creating a world-class solar manufacturing hub that strengthens the Kingdom’s economy and supply chain independence.
Ma’aden CEO Bob Wilt emphasised the project’s alignment with Saudi Arabia’s net-zero goals by 2060 and Ma’aden’s commitment to integrating sustainable, efficient technologies into its operations.
GlassPoint CEO Rod MacGregor called the collaboration a historic step in decarbonizing industrial heat, a $444 billion global market, while Cox’s Executive Chairman Enrique Riquelme praised the project as a model for combining sustainability with cost-effective solutions.
A vision for sustainability
This partnership not only accelerates industrial decarbonisation but also positions Saudi Arabia as a global leader in renewable energy innovation. By combining technological breakthroughs with strategic investments, GlassPoint, Ma’aden, and Cox aim to drive economic diversification and environmental leadership in the region.
