At the International District Cooling Conference in Jeddah, executives from LG Saudi Arabia and France's Dalkia highlighted their growing portfolios in the Kingdom, where district cooling accounts for a significant share of electricity consumption in buildings.
Moussa Nabil, head of air conditioning sales at LG Saudi Arabia, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the company has executed over 25 large projects in Saudi Arabia since 2008, with investments exceeding $100 million. Its latest undertaking is the supply of a district cooling plant with a capacity of 28,000 tons of refrigeration for the Riyadh Avenue project, valued at around SAR 30 million. LG also equipped King Khalid International Airport with 15,000 tons of cooling capacity and built a 92,000-ton plant for a power generation station in the Eastern Province.
Stéphane Lemoine, CEO of Dalkia Middle East, said the company has secured projects worth SAR 350 million across energy efficiency, solar, and district cooling. He emphasized Dalkia's ambition to accelerate growth in Saudi Arabia in line with Vision 2030.
The competition comes amid a surge in district cooling investments, with ongoing projects valued at $2.32 billion, including a 72,500-ton plant at Diriyah Gate and a 200,000-ton system for NEOM. Market estimates suggest the Middle East district cooling market could reach $15 billion by 2027.