Dubai's Green Hydrogen Project Achieves Significant CO2 Emission Reductions With Solar Energy

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has revealed that its Green Hydrogen initiative has generated approximately 90 tonnes of green hydrogen since its inception in May 2021. This project, the first of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa, utilises solar energy to produce green hydrogen. The majority of this hydrogen contributed to generating over one gigawatt hour (GWh) of green energy, significantly reducing carbon emissions by about 450 tonnes.

The Green Hydrogen project was developed in collaboration with Expo 2020 Dubai and Siemens Energy. It produces around 20 kilogrammes of hydrogen per hour, with a storage capacity for up to 12 hours using solar energy. This stored hydrogen is used to generate electricity at night through a hydrogen gas motor capable of producing roughly 300 kilowatts of electrical energy.

Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and CEO of DEWA, stated, "We support the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to enhance the UAE’s pioneering and competitive position worldwide in low-carbon hydrogen." The project aligns with the UAE's ambition to capture 25% of the low-carbon hydrogen market.

This initiative is part of DEWA's broader strategy to diversify energy resources. It supports the National Hydrogen Strategy, the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050, and the Dubai Net Zero Carbon Emissions Strategy 2050. These strategies aim for all energy production capacity to come from clean sources by mid-century.

The Green Hydrogen project is designed for future expansion and testing across various sectors such as air, land, and sea transport. It also aims to explore other industrial applications for hydrogen. Implemented at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park—the largest single-site solar park globally—it will have a production capacity exceeding 5,000 MW by 2030.

Green hydrogen is produced through electrolysis powered by renewable energy sources. DEWA has set global standards for solar energy pricing, establishing Dubai as a benchmark city for competitive solar energy costs. This contributes to achieving competitive pricing in green hydrogen production.

The project's implementation at this solar park aids in reaching competitive prices for green hydrogen production. DEWA's achievements in solar energy pricing have positioned Dubai as a global leader in this field.

With inputs from WAM