Riyadh: Senior Vice President for Research and Development at King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) Dr. Talal Al-Sudairy affirmed that the announcement of Vision 2030, along with the launch of national priorities for research, development, and innovation, has contributed to strengthening the Kingdom's standing and leadership in the fields of technology, innovation, and excellence. He noted that Saudi Arabia has undergone a qualitative transformation and achieved significant progress in the energy, water, and sustainability sectors. According to Saudi Press Agency, Dr. Al-Sudairy made the remarks during Innovation Days 2026 (ID26), an event organized by ACWA Power under the supervision of the Ministry of Energy, in partnership with KACST and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). Hosted by 'The Garage,' the event brought together international partners and innovators under the theme 'Innovate for Impact.' Discussions focused on advancements in renewable energy, energy sto rage, and water desalination, with the aim of accelerating new technologies and supporting open innovation and artificial intelligence. He explained that KACST, as the national laboratory, has achieved tangible results. These include extracting water in desert conditions using metal-organic frameworks, converting plastic waste into hydrogen fuel within seconds, transforming petroleum coke into graphene to enable safer battery technologies, and reducing dust accumulation on solar panels by more than 30%. He noted that these achievements directly enhance operational efficiency. Dr. Al-Sudairy emphasized that KACST will continue to consolidate its leadership by strengthening partnerships in applied research. He added that the institution is supporting the Kingdom's transition from research to large-scale manufacturing. He highlighted the collaboration between KACST and ACWA Power as a model for strategic partnerships. He said the focus is on key challenges in clean energy and water, including reducing desalin ation costs, improving solar panel efficiency in harsh environments, employing artificial intelligence for efficient grid management, and developing power electronics to integrate renewable energy. He added that efforts are underway to expand this collaborative model to include emerging sectors. This expansion aims to provide private-sector partners with access to the Kingdom's advanced national research and development infrastructure.