First time in Middle East; Dewa to produce hydrogen using solar power

The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa), in collaboration with Expo 2020 Dubai and Siemens Energy at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, will produce hydrogen using solar power. The initiative will be first in the Middle East and North Africa. 

Today, the world is witnessing an increasing demand to invest in clean and renewable energy sources, which will change the global energy scene in the next few years using environmentally friendly and relatively low-cost energy sources.

In line with this global trend, green hydrogen for power generation and supporting development in several vital sectors is increasing. Studies show that green hydrogen production will increase by 57 per cent annually to reach 5.7 million tonnes in 2030.

The pilot plant, which spreads over 10,000 square metres, was designed and built to accommodate future applications and testing facilities for different hydrogen uses, including energy generation and transportation.

Green Hydrogen is produced through electrolysis using renewable energy sources. This technology allows the storage of large amounts of energy for long periods. For example, hydrogen can be used for re-electrification through gas motors, gas turbines and fuel cells. It can also be used as a feedstock for the chemical industry (ammonia, syn-fuels, green chemicals etc.), as fuel for transportation, a reducing agent for the steel industry, to produce heat for industrial processes, as gas for residential heating and cooking purposes, and also as energy for export.

Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of Dewa, said that green hydrogen is an environmentally-friendly energy source and represents one of the pillars of a sustainable future for accelerating the transition to carbon neutrality. This supports the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 and the Dubai Net Zero Carbon Emissions Strategy 2050 to provide 100 per cent of the energy production capacity from clean energy sources by 2050.

"The Green Hydrogen project aligns with Dubai’s commitment to sustainability and its unwavering support to energy and climate change issues. It also supports the vision and directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to turn Dubai into a carbon-neutral economy by 2050. Dewa’s strategy is to diversify energy sources and increase investment by supporting innovation and research and development in energy storage technologies including green hydrogen. This includes green hydrogen, which some describe as the ‘Fuel of the Future’ and will play an important role in the global energy mix and in fighting global warming," he said.

Al Tayer added that Dewa had invited globally reputed consulting companies to submit their offers to develop an ambitious strategy for green hydrogen production. The objectives are to develop the green mobility sector, reduce carbon emissions from various industries, and generate electrical and thermal energy, producing water and other applications.

Waleed Bin Salman, Executive Vice President of Business Development and Excellence at Dewa, said that the Green Hydrogen project at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park was designed according to the highest safety standards. It also aligns with Dewa’s standards and European and international laws. Siemens Energy, its partner in this project, has vast experience designing and implementing advanced systems with the highest safety standards and supporting the development of operations and safe maintenance of the station.

In partnership with the Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC), Dewa is studying building a hydrogen fuelling station. This will help achieve the objectives of the Dubai Green Mobility Strategy 2030 to encourage the use of sustainable transportation and the Hydrogen Vehicles System to develop the hydrogen economy and open up local markets to hydrogen vehicles.

WAM