Into the Nefud Desert: An Expedition and Eco-Power Quest

Let's talk about the Nefud Desert—a huge patch of dry land up in the northern chunk of the Arabian Peninsula. It's this kind of wild, beautiful place that's not afraid to keep its secrets hidden. We're not talking about some famous desert like the Rub' al Khali (also known as the Empty Quarter)—that one tends to hog the spotlight. But let me tell you, the Nefud Desert has its own special charm. It has this mix of features that will grab your attention and geology that will make your brain spin.

So, we're going on a sort of virtual tour here in this article. We're diving into the Nefud Desert's world—exploring those sand dunes that stretch out, the rocky shapes that look like they were sculpted by some creative giant and those ancient enigmas that keep folks scratching their heads.

Fast forward to May 2024, and guess what? A crew from the UK is gearing up to take on the Nefud Desert, up there in the northern part of Saudi Arabia. But they're not just doing the usual desert-crossing thing. Nope, these folks are aiming to blaze a brand-new trail, a path that's never been taken before in this remote, dry-as-a-bone land.

Here's the kicker—they're doing it in style, showing off this cool idea of using alternative power for their expedition vehicles. Imagine, trekking across this rugged terrain with the juice of the future. They've got a big support from Prince Khalid, the Saudi Ambassador to the UK. He's all in, giving them the thumbs up and even rallying companies and organizations to get behind this venture.

Dr. Alan Crofts, the team leader for this expedition, says, “His Royal Highness is very supportive of the expedition and our objectives”. “He has pledged his support and personally encourages businesses and institutions to help with our endeavor. We have generated enormous interest from the media in Saudi Arabia and can offer a substantial promotional package to any company wishing to invest in our expedition” Alan added. “In particular we require the loan of two off-road capable electric vehicles and one conventionally powered vehicle” He has penned a letter from His Royal Highness to prove it, when they're sitting down for some negotiations.

Alan stated, “We are confident that we can practically utilize either fully electric or hybrid vehicles for the expedition and have designed the route to incorporate adequate charge points”. Also, he added, “We are taking  high technology solar transducing mats on the expedition that will enable us to top up the vehicle batteries and charge our equipment”.

Oh, and get this—the teams are thinking about going eco-friendly with a diesel support vehicle, powered by biofuel, that would be used as a back-up charge.