The desert coast of northwestern Saudi Arabia is beginning to reveal the scale of one of the most ambitious energy projects in modern history. Newly released images from Neom’s Oxagon show the vast green hydrogen facility championed by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (aka MBS), a cornerstone of the kingdom’s push to diversify its economy and claim leadership in clean energy. What had long been renderings and promises is now a physical industrial complex stretching across an area so large it dwarfs cities many times its age.
The footprint alone tells the story of ambition. At roughly 300 square kilometers (about 116 sq miles), the plant and its supporting renewables cover an area about one and a half times the size of Washington, D.C., five times the size of Manhattan, or nearly half of Chicago’s landmass.
The master layout map shows how the development is spread across the desert and coastline: the Wind Garden at Gayal, the Solar Farm at Shigry, long stretches of transmission grid tying the power sources together, coastal halls housing Electrolyser 1, and a purpose-built jetty at Oxagon to handle exports. It is a multi-node infrastructure network rather than a single site, stitched together with the singular aim of creating the world’s largest green hydrogen hub.
The solar scale alone is staggering. Around 2.2 gigawatts of solar capacity, equivalent to some 5.6 million panels, are being laid down in Shigry. If placed edge to edge, these modules would cover about 2,100 NFL fields.
At Gayal, more than 250 wind turbines march across the desert flats in neat rows, representing another 1.6 gigawatts of renewable generation. Together these facilities feed a 2.2-gigawatt electrolysis plant, making it by far the largest of its kind anywhere in the world.
Along the Oxagon coastline, construction has advanced on two gigantic domed tanks destined to store green ammonia. Each measure roughly 249 feet in diameter and 131 feet high, double-contained to secure one of the most important commodities of the energy transition. Nearby, long white bullet-shaped vessels lie in rows. These are hydrogen storage units buffering electrolyzer output before it is converted into ammonia for export. The site video overlay proudly repeats the figure of up to 600 tones of green hydrogen produced every day.
The facility is not only about numbers but about its wider impact. Neom Green Hydrogen Company, the joint venture behind the project, estimates that the plant will offset as much as 5 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions every year once it comes online. With its dedicated renewable power, its vast electrolysis halls, and its export-ready jetty, the development underscores the determination of Saudi Arabia’s leadership to move from hydrocarbons to hydrogen.
For MBS, the project is also a statement of intent. Neom is designed to be a living example of his Vision 2030 plan to transform the Saudi economy and reduce dependence on oil revenues. The green hydrogen facility is more than an energy plant; it is meant to symbolize a future where the kingdom positions itself as a global supplier of clean fuels, advanced technologies, and sustainable urban living. By placing such emphasis on scale and visibility, the Crown Prince aims to demonstrate that Saudi Arabia can lead the global transition rather than follow it.
The first images make clear that this is not just another megaproject but a test case for whether green hydrogen can scale to the level that policymakers and investors hope. If successful, it will serve as both an industrial backbone for Neom and a symbol of Saudi Arabia’s ambition to lead in the clean energy era.
