Arab News, Monday, Jan 16, 2023 | Jamadi Al Thani 23, 1444
Abu Dhabi’s Masdar signs memorandum with Dutch companies to develop green hydrogen supply chain
Saudi Arabia:
Renewable energy firm Masdar of Abu Dhabi has signed a memorandum of
understanding with the Port of Amsterdam, SkyNRG, Evos, and Zenith Energy that
aims to develop a green hydrogen supply chain between the UAE and the capital of
the Netherlands, the Emirates News Agency reported on Sunday.
The parties are to work together to establish the
chain, with production in Abu Dhabi and exports via the Port of Amsterdam, which
is Europe’s fourth largest.
The exported green hydrogen will be directed to
key European sectors such as sustainable aviation fuel, steelmaking, and
shipping.
The parties will also examine various hydrogen
transportation methods, with a particular emphasis on liquid organic carriers
and liquid hydrogen.
The agreement was signed by Masdar CEO Mohamed
Jameel Al Ramahi; Port of Amsterdam Managing Director Gert-Jan Nieuwenhuizen;
SkyNRG Chief Development Officer Maarten van Dijk; Evos Business Development
Manager Bart van der Meer; and Zenith Energy Managing Director Ellen Ruhotas.
This deal was completed in the presence of UAE
Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology Sultan bin Ahmed Al-Jaber, and
Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs Wopke Hoekstra.
Al-Jaber said: “This agreement builds upon the
existing relationship between the UAE and the Netherlands, and demonstrates our
mutual commitment to exploring low and zero-carbon energy solutions.
“The UAE aims to play a central role in the
emerging green hydrogen economy, and this partnership with the Port of Amsterdam
and associated players in the green hydrogen space would help position Abu Dhabi
as a key hub.”
Al Ramahi said: “Masdar believes green hydrogen to
be a promising energy source for ‘hard-to-abate’ sectors in support of global
decarbonisation, which is why we launched our dedicated green hydrogen business
last month.
“We are pleased to partner with Port of Amsterdam,
SkyNRG, Evos Amsterdam, and Zenith Energy to leverage our synergies in the fuel
and logistics sectors to see how green hydrogen can help us achieve our shared
goals for decarbonisation and sustainable economic growth.”
Green hydrogen is produced by splitting water by
electrolysis, producing oxygen and hydrogen.
Hydrogen will be an essential component of a
net-zero energy system and will play an important role in decarbonizing sectors
that are difficult to electrify, such as heavy industry and long-distance
transportation, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency.
The global green hydrogen market is expected to
reach $72 billion by 2030, while PricewaterhouseCoopers has estimated that
hydrogen demand is expected to range between 150 million and 500 million tons
per year by 2050.
Masdar announced its new shareholding structure
and green hydrogen business unit in December, with the goal of achieving
production of 1 million tons annually by 2030.
It signed several agreements in the same month
with leading Egyptian state-backed organizations to cooperate in the development
of green hydrogen production plants in the country, targeting an annual
output of up to 480,000 tons.