ADNOC and Germany to accelerate clean hydrogen collaboration

UAE’s Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) and joint study agreements (JSA) with German companies to deepen clean hydrogen collaboration.

The agreements were announced during the visit of the German Federal minister for economic affairs and climate action Robert Habeck to the UAE. The talks build upon the longstanding Emirati-German Energy Partnership as well as the Ministerial Emirati-German Hydrogen Task Force from November 2021.

Germany’s hydrogen strategy expects clean hydrogen demand of up to 3 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) by 2030. Of this, around 60 per cent will be imported. In addition, demand might grow to over 11 mtpa by 2050.

On the other hand, ADNOC is an H2 producer that plans to significantly grow its clean hydrogen production. With its planned expansion in Europe, ADNOC is to further accelerate the delivery of the UAE Hydrogen Leadership Roadmap. This roadmap specifically identified Germany as a key export market with a target of providing up to 25 per cent of the country’s imported clean hydrogen.

Under the JSA, the partners will enter into a joint demonstration project for hydrogen transport between the countries. The goal is to set up a supply chain for green hydrogen from the UAE to Wilhelmshaven using LOHC technology.

Hydrogenious’ LOHC technology relies on a liquid organic hydrogen carrier, an oily organic substance that chemically binds hydrogen.

In the short term, they will use blue hydrogen, which will soon be replaced by green hydrogen.

ADNOC signed individual agreements with German companies Aurubis, RWE, GETEC, and STEAG to explore opportunities for collaboration in low-carbon and renewable hydrogen derivatives.

This specifically includes the execution of the first blue ammonia demonstration cargos, produced by Fertiglobe, from the UAE to Germany in 2022.  
 
ADNOC will provide low-carbon ammonia to its partners in Germany that Fertiglobe produces at its Fertil plant in Abu Dhabi. The sales represent a further milestone in the planned scale-up of blue ammonia production capabilities in Abu Dhabi.

In addition, ADNOC and its partners are investing in a new world-scale 1 million metric tonnes per annum blue ammonia project at TA’ZIZ in Ruwais. ADNOC, with its partners, is also exploring various opportunities in green hydrogen. 

To enable the test cargo, the transport chain for blue ammonia is also in the process of forming. Therefore, ADNOC and Hamburger Hafen & Logistik (HHLA) signed a cooperation agreement.

This is a pilot project of the transport chain with blue ammonia to Germany. It specifically lays an important foundation for medium-term imports of green hydrogen.

ADNOC entered into an MoU with HHLA and AD Ports Group to work on realizing Hamburg’s ambition to become a hydrogen import hub in Germany.

Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, ADNOC Group CEO, said: “The UAE and Germany have a deep, longstanding bilateral relationship and a growing partnership in clean energy, helping to enable and accelerate the global energy transition. At ADNOC, we have ambitious growth plans for clean hydrogen, a critical tool in efforts to decarbonize hard-to-abate sectors, which we are actively delivering on to meet demand in Asia, and through today’s partnerships, Europe as well.” 
 
Habeck underlined the importance of the Emirati-German cooperation for advancing on climate action: “The accelerated scale-up of hydrogen supply chains is key for our transition to sustainable energy and for achieving the decarbonisation goals in line with our commitments under the Paris Agreement. Today’s agreements signal a decisive milestone towards meeting our climate action ambitions.”