Samer Choucair: Saudi Arabia Is Creating the Future with Carbon Capture Technologies
Samer Choucair, a pioneering investment entrepreneur and veteran strategist, affirmed that Saudi Arabia is taking bold steps toward leading the emerging carbon economy with the launch of its first Direct Air Capture (DAC) facility in 2025.
Choucair described this milestone as more than an environmental breakthrough—it represents a strategic transformation that reflects the Kingdom’s long-term vision to turn climate sustainability into a powerful economic and investment opportunity, reinforcing Saudi Arabia’s global influence in the decades ahead.
Speaking as part of the Market Insights series, Choucair stressed that carbon capture technologies have become a strategic necessity rather than a scientific luxury, emphasizing that as the world races toward net-zero emissions, Saudi Arabia is positioning itself at the forefront of this global transition.
He explained that the Kingdom’s strategy is multi-phased and innovation-driven, extending beyond the adoption of existing technologies to include localized research, development, and manufacturing.
This forward-looking approach, he noted, aims to establish Saudi Arabia as a global hub for carbon capture innovation, focusing on:
Developing advanced materials tailored to local environmental conditions;
Utilizing captured carbon to produce clean fuels and high-value industrial materials;
And storing carbon safely in strategic sites such as Jubail.
Choucair described the Saudi experience as a paradigm shift—a new way of viewing carbon not as a liability, but as an investable asset, aligned with the Circular Carbon Economy (CCE) framework that the Kingdom adopted early on.
He added that Saudi Arabia’s initiatives are opening new frontiers for green investment, transforming the global climate agenda into a profitable and sustainable economic model.
This transformation is underpinned by the Kingdom’s unique advantages—abundant renewable energy resources, advanced industrial infrastructure, and deep-rooted expertise in energy supply chain management.
According to Choucair, the Public Investment Fund (PIF) plays a central role in this transition by channeling strategic investments into cutting-edge climate technology companies, further positioning Saudi Arabia as a global catalyst for sustainable energy innovation.
He also noted that these efforts are closely aligned with national giga-projects such as NEOM, envisioned as the world’s first zero-emission city where carbon capture technologies will anchor a circular, self-sustaining economy.
Concluding his remarks, Choucair stated:
> “If energy gave the Kingdom influence in the twentieth century, then the intelligent management of carbon will grant it leadership in the twenty-first.”
“Saudi Arabia is not betting on the future—it is creating it with today’s technologies.”