In the UAE, where solar energy is abundant, global technology major Siemens Energy, the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) and Expo 2020 Dubai have collaborated to establish the first industrial scale, solar-driven green hydrogen facility in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region.

Last month, the facility, covering an area of 10,000 sq m, was inaugurated by Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy and Chairman of the Expo 2020 Dubai Higher Committee.

Located at Dewa’s Outdoor Testing Facility of the Research and Development (R&D) Centre at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in Dubai, this trailblazing Green Hydrogen Project serves as a major milestone in the advancement of the sustainable energy industry in the region, said the statement from Siemens. 

The UAE plans to increase the contribution of clean energy in the country’s total energy mix from 25 per cent to 50 per cent by 2050, it added.

Siemens Energy said the integrated facility was developed with electrolysis, storage, and re-electrification capabilities, to maximise the benefits of the pilot project. Daylight solar power from the solar park will enable the pilot project to produce around 20.5kg/hr of hydrogen at 1.25MWe of peak power.

Operational data from the green hydrogen electrolysis will be displayed at Expo 2020, one of the most sustainable World Expos in history and the largest event ever held in the Arab world.

Utilising this pilot project, Dewa aims to demonstrate the production of green hydrogen from solar power, as well as the storage, and re-electrification of hydrogen. This is a system that allows for buffering renewable energy production, both for fast response applications, as well as for long-term storage, said the statement from Siemens Energy.

The plant has been built to accommodate future applications and test platforms for the different uses of hydrogen, including potential mobility and industrial uses.

Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemy, Minister of State for International Cooperation, and Director General Expo 2020 Dubai, said: “The Green Hydrogen Project is leading by example, showing how technology and collaboration can help build a cleaner, safer and healthier future for everyone. It epitomises the shared desire of Expo 2020 Dubai, Dewa, our Official Sustainable Energy Partner, and Siemens Energy to develop a global culture of innovation and deploy life-changing ideas and technologies around sustainability.”

“Expo 2020 congratulates all those involved, and believes this innovative project will inspire many more creative solutions that tackle some of the greatest challenges facing our planet,” she stated.

Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and CEO of Dewa said: “This project which we have implemented with our strategic partner Siemens Energy is a role model for strategic partnerships between the public and private sectors. Dewa aims to demonstrate the production of green hydrogen from solar power, its 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,” observed Al Tayer.

Dewa is building know-how, experience and capabilities to contribute in shaping the clean hydrogen future of the UAE, he added.

Dr Sultan bin Ahmad Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and UAE Special Envoy for Climate Change 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 ongoing climate action efforts,” said the minister.

Dr Christian Bruch, President and CEO of Siemens Energy, said: “This landmark Green Hydrogen Project highlights the importance of partnership in driving forward innovative new clean energy solutions and tackling the existential threat from global climate change.”

“As the first industrial-scale facility to produce green hydrogen in the Middle East and North Africa, it is an important milestone of the energy transformation. We look forward to working together to decarbonise industries that are hard to abate with renewable energy alone,” he added.