Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy and Chairman of the Expo 2020 Dubai Higher Committee, has inaugurated the Green Hydrogen project at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in Dubai, marking a new achievement for the emirate as a leader in renewable energy.

Commenting on the occasion, Sheikh Ahmed said: “The launch of pioneering initiatives in the fields of development is driven by the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, which seeks to strengthen the UAE’s leadership across various fields. These initiatives seek to ensure people’s happiness and wellbeing and provide solutions to challenges that may hinder our development journey.”

Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, Chairman of His Highness Sheikh Sultan Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan Humanitarian & Scientific Foundation; Sultan Bin Ahmad Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and UAE Special Envoy for Climate Change; Suhail Bin Mohammed Faraj Faris Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure; Dr Abdullah Belhaif Al Nuaimi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment; Reem Bint Ibrahim Al Hashemy, Minister of State for International Cooperation, and Director General Expo 2020 Dubai;  Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA); Dr Christian Bruch, President and CEO of Siemens Energy, and officials from the public and private sectors attended the inauguration event.

The project, implemented in collaboration with Dewa, Expo 2020 Dubai and Siemens Energy, is the first solar-driven green hydrogen producing facility in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region.

In his keynote speech, Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer said: “This pioneering project is part of our efforts to realise the vision of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE; His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai; and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, which aims to promote sustainability, innovation and shift towards a sustainable green economy.”

Al Tayer said that 2021 has witnessed important developments in the hydrogen sector. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum recently approved a UAE system for hydrogen fuel-powered vehicles, which aims to develop the Green Hydrogen economy in the UAE, open local markets to hydrogen-powered vehicles and encourage an increase in environment-friendly vehicles. The system is the cornerstone for encouraging the use and licensing of vehicles, facilities and equipment related to hydrogen fuel and will contribute to achieving sustainable growth that balances the environmental, economic and social aspects. This project to produce hydrogen using solar power also supports the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050, to provide 75% of Dubai’s total power capacity from clean energy sources by 2050 as well as the Dubai Green Mobility 2030 initiative, which aims to stimulate the use of sustainable transport.

“In Dubai, we have a clear direction for the energy sector. It includes expanding the use of clean energy and employing digital transformation, smart grids, the tools of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and disruptive technologies, for their impact on the energy and water sectors, Al Tayer added.

Al Tayer explained that with this pilot plant, Dewa aims to demonstrate the production of green hydrogen from solar power, storage and re-electrification. This is a system that allows for buffering renewable energy production, both for fast response applications, as well as for long-term storage. The plant has been built to accommodate future applications and test platforms for the different uses of hydrogen, including potential mobility and industrial uses. Dewa has already explored and developed a pilot project for green mobility using hydrogen that can be executed in the near future, in addition to a number of studies, business strategies and a potential roadmap for hydrogen usage. Dewa is building expertise, experience and capabilities to contribute in shaping the clean hydrogen future of the UAE.

Dr Sultan Bin Ahmad Sultan Al Jaber said that being an early adopter of a hydrogen economy will be instrumental in achieving sustainable economic growth in the UAE. “The Green Hydrogen Project represents a major step forward in this direction and will greatly accelerate our production of renewable and clean energy sources and contribute to our on-going climate action efforts.”