Green Hydrogen Development - Central News Hub

Masdar to invest heavily in green hydrogen projects

This move will reinforce Masdar’s leading position in developing renewable and clean energy projects worldwide…reports Asian Lite News

Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company – Masdar, is ramping up its investments in green hydrogen by establishing a dedicated unit to develop specialised projects in this sector locally, regionally, and globally.

This move will reinforce Masdar’s leading position in developing renewable and clean energy projects worldwide and consolidate Abu Dhabi’s pioneering role as a key player in the green hydrogen sector.

Mohammad Abdelqader El Ramahi, Chief Green Hydrogen Officer, said in statements to Emirates News Agency (WAM) on the sidelines of the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi, that this period is the best time to implement these projects in the UAE, aiming to allocate half of the targeted production capacity according to Masdar’s announced strategy by 2030-2033, which is one million tonnes per year of green hydrogen and its derivatives.

El Ramahi explained that half of this quantity has been allocated for development in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, equivalent to 500,000 tonnes of green hydrogen annually, which will enhance Abu Dhabi’s leading role as one of the world’s main hubs for green hydrogen production. He pointed out that the development of these projects has already begun in early January 2023.

He noted that Masdar has a pilot project with a production capacity of over 2 megawatts of electrolyzers that will be dedicated to producing green iron in cooperation with Emirates Steel Arkan. He added that the purpose of this project is to experiment with hydrogen and ensure its effectiveness and economic feasibility.

El Ramahi continued, “We are working to expand this project in the second phase, where we aim to raise efficiency to reach approximately 100 megawatts, but this figure is still under study and development.”

He pointed out that Masdar’s other green hydrogen projects in the Arab Republic of Egypt reach 4,000 megawatts of electrolysers, and the same in Morocco, in addition to our ambition to expand in Europe, America, and Balkan countries such as Azerbaijan and neighbouring countries, and to utilise the company’s effective presence in more than 40 countries around the world with an investment portfolio of over US$30 billion and a production capacity of 20 gigawatts.

He indicated that Masdar is also trying to look for investment opportunities in regional countries, including the Sultanate of Oman, in light of its efforts through the development of these projects to prove the economic feasibility of green hydrogen projects as the fuel of the future.

Masdar’s Chief Green Hydrogen Officer said that the green hydrogen sector is one of the new emerging sectors globally that promises a promising future with investments reaching US$11 trillion by 2050, according to World Bank estimates. He pointed out that this sector will help the international community in addressing the repercussions of climate change and neutralising the carbon footprint globally.

El Ramahi indicated that Masdar is focusing on developing its green hydrogen projects in Europe, especially as it has reached a level of maturity in governance frameworks, through which it seeks to apply stricter standards regarding the carbon footprint.

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India, UAE ink deal on green hydrogen, under sea connectivity

India and the UAE have reached an agreement on green hydrogen development and the laying of under sea cable connecting India to the UAE under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘One Sun, One World, One Grid initiative.’

Union Minister of Power and New and Renewable Energy RK Singh and UAE’s Minister of Energy and Infrastructure Suhail Al Mazrouei signed the agreement, according to the Ministery of External Affairs. The two leaders held a meeting and discussed vast opportunities between the two nations in the field of power and renewable energy. Both sides discussed the launch of a feasibility study on the sub-sea cable between India and the UAE under the Mission announced by PM Narendra Modi on ‘ONE SUN, ONE WORLD, ONE GRID INITIATIVE’. Notably, RK Singh is on a three-day visit to Abu Dhabi and is accompanied by a strong delegation of Indian corporates in the renewable energy sector.

“The two ministers also signed an MoU on cooperation in the field of Green Hydrogen Development and Investment. The Ministers also discussed the launch of a feasibility study on sub-sea cable between India and the UAE under the Mission announced by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on ‘ONE SUN, ONE WORLD, ONE GRID INITIATIVE,” The Ministry of External Affairs said in the press release.

The Ministry of External Affairs in the press release said, “India and the UAE have both taken a lead in the development of renewables at low costs. While the bilateral energy relationship has historically centred around the oil and gas sector, the two countries are moving towards a strong relationship in the field of power as well as renewables.”

During his visit, RK Singh held a meeting with COP28 President designate and UAE’s Special Envoy for Climate Change Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber. During the meeting, Singh congratulated Sultan Ahmed Jaber Jaber on becoming the presiding of COP 28. He expressed confidence that Jaber’s experience of energy and climate change will work well for COP 28.

During the meeting, the two sides discussed the priorities of the two nations in the area of energy and how India and the UAE could cooperate to make India’s G20 Presidency. RK Singh spoke about India’s priorities on G20 in the field of energy while Dr Sultan Al Jaber highlighted the priorities of the UAE for COP28 scheduled to be held in November in Dubai.

On January 14, RK Singh will preside over the 13th Assembly of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). IRENA is a 168-country International organisation dedicated to renewable energy. According to the press release, India has played a leading role in IRENA and will continue to lead in global efforts to promote and facilitate a timely global energy transition.

“India as the President of the IRENA Assembly will continue to lead in global efforts to promote and facilitate a timely global energy transition that is citizen-centric, just, inclusive and equitable and leaves no one behind. India will shape and align the global discourse in a positive way that encourages countries the world over to ensure that this objective is achieved,” the MEA said in the press release.

India has also undertaken the goal of becoming net zero by 2070 and is working on its way to fulfilling other commitments underlined under the Paris Climate Agreement, the MEA said in the press release. India had pledged to achieve about 40 per cent accumulative electric power generation capacity from non-fossil fuels by 2030 and has been able to achieve this target 9 years ahead of schedule in November 2021.

It further said, “India is also moving towards the Mission announced by Prime Minister Modi and the UN Secretary-General in October last year, called Mission LiFE – Lifestyle for Environment. Mission Life is an approach of propagating a healthy and sustainable way of living based on traditions and values of conservation and moderation, essential to combating climate change.” (ANI)

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