The UAE has commissioned German companies to develop the country's national hydrogen strategy as it diversifies its energy mix and pursues a goal of net-zero emissions by 2050.
The Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure (MoEI) signed an agreement with Germany's global engineering and advisory company GHD in partnership with applied research organisation Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft to develop its hydrogen strategy, it said on Sunday.
“Our ambition is to see the UAE become a world-leading authority on the role of hydrogen in the energy transition," said Suhail Al Mazrouei, the Minister of Energy and Infrastructure.
The UAE and other countries across the Middle East and North Africa region are pursuing plans to incorporate hydrogen into their energy mix and tap into the clean fuel for different industrial applications.
GHD has initially collaborated with the MoEI to assess the critical elements needed to establish a hydrogen strategy in the UAE. This will set the direction for a hydrogen economy in the Emirates, the ministry said.
“As the global hydrogen economy accelerates through technological innovation, partnerships and investment commitments, hydrogen could be a decarbonisation solution that provides multiple market opportunities across electricity, transportation and mobility and the industrial sectors,” Sharif Al Olama, undersecretary of MoEI, said.
Proper infrastructure, technological readiness and market access must be in place for a booming hydrogen economy, the ministry said.
GHD's partnership with Germany-based Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft to develop the UAE's national hydrogen strategy poses "a unique opportunity" to further strengthen the bilateral relations between the UAE and Germany through contributions to the Gulf country's net-zero ambitions, the ministry said.
In 2017, the two countries signed the UAE-German Energy Partnership to enhance dialogue and provide a framework for cooperation in energy transition.
They have also launched a bilateral hydrogen taskforce to engage ministries, companies and scientists in a systematic process to boost the hydrogen economy.
