Adnoc keen to work with India on potential of hydrogen market

The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) is keen to explore the hydrogen market with India’s public and private sectors to support India’s growing demand for energy and need for cleaner fuels according to Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Managing Director and Group CEO of Adnoc.

Speaking during a High-Level Ministerial Session at a virtual Hydrogen Roundtable organised by The Energy Forum (TEF) in collaboration with the Federation of Indian Petroleum Industry (FIPI) and India’s Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG), Dr Al Jaber reinforced the strong economic ties between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and India.

“India and the UAE enjoy a very special relationship that is underpinned by deep-rooted bilateral ties across multiple sectors. Today, India is one of our biggest and most important trading partners, particularly in the field of energy. And as India’s demand for energy grows, we stand ready to help meet that demand by making the full portfolio of our products available to the Indian market.”

“However, at the same time, we recognize that the world and India for that matter require more energy with fewer emissions. And as we collectively navigate the global energy transition, we believe Hydrogen offers promise and potential as a genuinely zero-carbon fuel. Granted Hydrogen is still in its infancy, it could be a game-changer and a real opportunity to accelerate the broader energy transition. An opportunity that Adnoc and the UAE are well placed to capitalise on.” Dr Al Jaber said, following remarks by Dharmendra Pradhan, India’s Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas.

Dr Al Jaber noted that Adnoc currently produces about 300,000 tonnes of hydrogen a year as part of its current industrial processes. He expressed optimism that alongside the company’s existing infrastructure and commercial-scale Carbon Capture Utilization Storage (CCUS) capabilities, it can become a major player in the developing blue hydrogen market.

Adnoc is also exploring the potential of green Hydrogen through the Abu Dhabi Hydrogen Alliance which was recently established by Adnoc, Mubadala Investment Company (Mubadala) and ADQ, Dr Al Jaber said, as the company prioritises blue Hydrogen.

“Working together, we are identifying viable international market opportunities and developing a roadmap to create a Hydrogen ecosystem to serve both the UAE and the global market. That said, we recognize that the key to developing the hydrogen economy of the future will be aligning supply and demand. This is where we are currently working with partners, customers, and other interested parties to build the value-chains required to seed the emerging hydrogen market.”

The UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure and the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry recently signed a virtual cooperation agreement to explore the opportunities in the field of hydrogen development. The agreement will expand the joint areas of collaboration and enhance investment in the hydrogen sector, supporting the ambition to accelerate the energy transition towards a low-carbon future. The agreement, which was signed by Suhail Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, and Ejima Kiyoshi, State Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry of Japan, in the presence of high-ranking officials from both sides, contributes in strengthening the bilateral relations between the UAE and Japan, as well as emphasising the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure’s approach to developing the scope of strategic partnerships between the two friendly countries in terms of their pursuit of global leadership in the field of clean energy, and enhancing the opportunities for growth and development in relying on hydrogen as a clean source of energy.

It is noteworthy that the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure recently joined the Abu Dhabi Hydrogen Alliance, which was established by Mubadala Investment Company, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), and Abu Dhabi Holding Company (ADQ), with the aim of establishing the UAE’s position as a reliable exporter of green hydrogen, which is produced by employing renewable energy technology, and blue hydrogen that is produced through natural gas and carbon capture and storage technology.

The United Arab Emirates and Japan recently agreed to cooperate on Fuel Ammonia and Carbon Recycling technologies during the UAE’s virtual business trip to Japan. The agreement follows the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation between the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan, highlighting the ambition of the UAE and Japan to harness new commercially feasible technologies to reduce carbon emissions. Ammonia will play an important role in enabling the hydrogen economy in the future and can serve as a hydrogen carrier and zero-emission fuel.