Opinion Renewable Energy Oman is on a steady path to a hydrogen-powered future The sultanate is off to a roaring start – now it needs to stay on course July 17, 2024
Energy Saudi Aramco bolsters blue hydrogen portfolio Saudi Aramco has acquired a 50 percent stake in Jubail-based Blue Hydrogen Industrial Gases Company (BHIG), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Air Products Qudra. No financial details were disclosed. The transaction, subject to standard closing conditions, includes options for the oil giant to offtake hydrogen and nitrogen. The remaining 50 percent will be owned by APQ, […] July 17, 2024
Analysis Renewable Energy Austerity threatens Egypt’s green energy progress Sprawling over 37 sq km of desert north of Egyptian city of Aswan, the Benban Solar Park is one of the largest photovoltaic power plants in the world. Made up of 41 individual solar plants, the park’s investors boast it can be seen from space. Launched in 2018 and now at 1.8 gigawatt capacity, in […] July 9, 2024
Energy Saudi Arabia to build new blue ammonia plant Saudi Arabia’s energy ministry has approved feedstock for a new blue ammonia plant. Sabic Agri-Nutrients Company, which trades on the Saudi stock exchange, will build its sixth facility in Jubail Industrial City to produce 1.2 million metric tonnes per annum (mmtpa) of low-carbon blue ammonia and 1.1 mmtpa of urea and specialised agri-nutrients. Engineering studies […] July 4, 2024
Renewable Energy BP joins Masdar in Egyptian green hydrogen project BP, the British oil and gas company, has agreed to join a consortium including Masdar, the UAE’s state renewable energy company, and others to develop a multi-phase green hydrogen project in Egypt. The plans come as Reuters reports suggest that BP has frozen new offshore wind projects, as it renews emphasis on oil and gas […] July 2, 2024
Renewable Energy Clean energy spend rising but fossil fuels still dominate Investment in clean energy is rising in the Middle East but spending on hydrocarbon production still dominates, the International Energy Agency (IEA) has said. In its World Energy Investment report published on Thursday, the Paris-based watchdog said that for every $1 invested in fossil fuels in the region, only 20 cents was allocated to clean […] June 6, 2024
Renewable Energy Tunisia signs $6.5bn green hydrogen investment deal Tunisia has signed a memorandum of understanding with French company TotalEnergies and Austrian group Verbund to produce green hydrogen (H2V). The first phase of the project, which is expected to cost €6 billion ($6.5 billion), aims to produce 200,000 tonnes of H2V per year, generating 5,000 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy and 2,000MW of electrolysis […] May 28, 2024
Oil & Gas Aramco considers LNG exports as reserves grow Saudi Aramco is looking at building a liquefied natural gas (LNG) export business, as its growing natural gas production looks likely to exceed its domestic needs. The energy giant is optimistic about its gas output. In the first quarter of the year, it announced the addition of 15 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) to its proven […] May 9, 2024
Renewable Energy Morocco offers new incentives for green hydrogen investors Morocco has launched new incentives to attract investors in green hydrogen projects. The Rabat government has allotted 1 million hectares (almost 3,900 square miles) of land for new projects as part of its “hydrogen offer,” the office of Morocco’s prime minister, Aziz Akhannouch, said in a statement. The first phase involves making 300,000 hectares of […] March 17, 2024
Renewable Energy Neom to produce first green hydrogen this year, CEO says Saudi Arabia’s mega-city Neom is set to produce its first green hydrogen this year, a senior executive has confirmed. Wesam Alghamdi, chief executive of Neom Green Hydrogen Company (NGHC), told a conference in Dubai last week that the Hydrogen Innovation Development Centre will produce eight tonnes of green hydrogen a day on launch this year. […] March 5, 2024
Energy Hydrogen-producing nations told to put local use first Hydrogen-producing nations should put local use of the green fuel ahead of exports, a conference in Dubai has been told. Francesco La Camera, director general of the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena), said making hydrogen a major global export commodity is only a medium to long term prospect. Instead, he said, hydrogen-producing nations should follow […] March 4, 2024
Renewable Energy Iraq plans push on solar and green hydrogen projects Iraq is planning to build solar plants and its first green hydrogen project as part of a strategy to tackle power shortages and reduce its carbon footprint. The country’s cabinet has approved a proposal to install 12 gigawatts (GW) of solar power by 2030, said a National Investment Commission representative, Rahim Al Jaafari. Projects capable […] February 22, 2024
Analysis Transport Abu Dhabi signs hydrogen transport deal with Shenzhen Abu Dhabi has signed a partnership with Shenzhen, one of the largest cities in China, to develop a green hydrogen complex to power buses and cars by 2025. The deal will look at collaboration on projects including green mobility, technology, autonomous solutions, sustainability and urban development, officials said. The agreement was signed by Mohamed Ali […] February 21, 2024
Finance Egypt’s 144 reforms propelled private sector says Madbouly The Egyptian government has implemented 144 reforms since May 2022 to support the private sector and attract foreign and local investors, according to Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly. More than 1,000 private sector companies are participating in state-run programmes to boost the Egyptian economy and promote private sector engagement, Egypt Today newspaper reported, citing Madbouly in […] February 13, 2024
Energy Abu Dhabi and UK partner plan green hydrogen complex Abu Dhabi has linked up with Hycap, an asset manager that funds net zero projects, to develop an industrial complex for green hydrogen. The facility will include an electrolysis plant, hydrogen storage and tankers for transport. The partnership between Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED) and UK business Hycap hopes to attract international companies […] February 6, 2024
Trade Healthcare, hydrogen and more: Saudi-Thai deals in sight Saudi Arabia and Thailand are strengthening economic ties with prospective deals in healthcare, hydrogen and agriculture after patching up a longstanding diplomatic spat. The two nations reached a rapprochement in January 2022, more than three decades after a dispute over a 1989 jewellery heist known as the Blue Diamond Affair. “The economic opportunities from cooperation […] January 11, 2024
Opinion Renewable Energy Green hydrogen: who will buy the ‘fuel of the future’? Middle East enthusiasm is not matched by Europe and Asia January 8, 2024
Energy Oman sets up support unit for green-hydrogen developers Oman will set up a high-powered “delivery support unit” shortly to ease the logistical hurdles that global investors may face on their large-scale green hydrogen projects. The support unit is proposed to be announced by the government as early as this week, Oman Daily Observer reported, citing Mohsin Al Hadhrami, under-secretary of the Ministry of […] December 18, 2023
Renewable Energy AMEA Power plans $15bn hydrogen investment in Africa UAE renewable energy company AMEA Power is ready to develop projects worth $15 billion in Africa as it ramps up production of green hydrogen. The company, which has a clean energy pipeline of over 6 gigawatt (GW) across 20 countries, plans to develop three 1GW-scale electrolyser projects in Mauritania, Djibouti and Egypt. “We believe they […] December 13, 2023
Renewable Energy Morocco reveals strategy to speed up energy transition Morocco is accelerating plans to add 9 gigawatts to its electricity generation capacity – enough power for nearly 8 million homes – with 7GW coming from renewables. But the country will need to discover or import more gas as it bets on creating a new hydrogen economy, according to Leila Benali, its minister of energy […] December 11, 2023
Renewable Energy Oman could become world leader in geologic hydrogen Green hydrogen has made global headlines as a potential carbon-free alternative to fossil fuels, but some experts believe another, abundant source of the gas could be under our feet. It is known as geologic hydrogen. Geologic hydrogen occurs naturally in the earth’s crust and is produced when water reacts with iron-rich rocks in the subsurface. […] December 10, 2023
Renewable Energy UAE’s Masdar to develop green hydrogen in Spain Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) is exploring developing a green hydrogen plant in central Spain to aid in the decarbonisation of Europe’s hard-to-abate sectors. The Abu Dhabi-based renewables energy company is collaborating with Verbund Green Hydrogen on the proposed venture – in an agreement which was signed at the UN’s Climate Change Conference Cop28 […] December 8, 2023