meed-logo

line1 line2 line3
SIGN IN / REGISTER

Abu Dhabi to tap Kezad for hydrogen plan

10 October 2023

The Khailfa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi (Kezad) is expected to play a key role in the UAE capital's plan to establish a green hydrogen ecosystem.

The sprawling Khalifa Industrial complex, as well as the economic zone's proximity to the Khalifa Port, are expected to incentivise potential green hydrogen and green ammonia production plant developers and investors to locate at Kezad, sources familiar with the plans tell MEED.     

The preliminary plan entails allocating space and land for electrolysis plants, powered by solar, wind or hydro power plants that are connected to the grid.

The hydrogen can then be converted into ammonia, stored in tank farms and exported through specialised vessels similar to liquified natural gas (LNG) carriers.

Kezad, or the Khalifa Industrial complex, is the location of several planned green hydrogen projects, including a $1bn scheme being planned by South Korea's Korea Electric Power Corporation (Kepco) and its plant subsidiary Korea Western Power and Samsung C&T, along with Dubai-headquartered Petrolyn Chemie.

The three companies signed a joint development agreement (JDA) with Abu Dhabi officials for the first phase of the planned scheme in June last year.

Hydrogen policy

Abu Dhabi Department of Energy (DoE) is expected to issue a public policy on low-carbon hydrogen around or during the upcoming Cop28 climate summit, MEED reported on 9 October.

The policy was initially expected to be issued earlier this year.

There are 11 known and planned green hydrogen projects in the UAE, with a budget of at least $12bn, according to MEED data.

In addition to the planned $5bn green hydrogen hub planned between Masdar and Engie, the other major planned green hydrogen projects in  Abu Dhabi involve its largest industrial firms including Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (Taqa), Emirates Steel, Fertiglobe and Brooge.

One of these projects, the 150MW green hydrogen-based ammonia production facility planned in Ruwais, is in an advanced stage of planning and study.

A consortium led by French utility developer and investor Engie in partnership with Fertiglobe and Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) will develop the project. The team expects to take a final investment decision (FID) on the project by the fourth quarter of 2023.

Policy framework

MEED reported in March this year that the Abu Dhabi DoE developed the policy, which was approved by the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, and whose draft was issued for public consultation in October last year.

The policy aims to adopt a clear and robust framework to enable a low-carbon hydrogen economy, including defining Abu Dhabi’s low-carbon hydrogen industry structure and the supporting regulatory mechanism to “provide confidence for both domestic and international investors”.

The suggested industry structure and the institutional design consist of production, storage, transportation and trading.

The policy document states: “In the industry structure conceived for Abu Dhabi, production, trading and supply are open to market, while storage and transportation through pipelines are likely to be natural monopoly arrangement that in due course, will be regulated like other activities in the energy sector.”

MEED understands early-stage regulation will be considered to ensure access to clean energy and water, public safety, security and other key technical standards.

The policy also covers the entire low-carbon hydrogen ecosystem including enabling so-called hydrogen valleys, where different low-carbon hydrogen production technologies can be collocated to drive system-wide cost optimisation, including sharing of infrastructure and facilities.

It also considers clean electricity clusters that will supply power to electrolysers to produce low-carbon hydrogen. These clusters will be partially isolated with only a backup connection to the electricity grid. They are expected to allow large-scale clean electricity generation and supply at a competitive cost.

The policy supports the UAE hydrogen leadership roadmap to capture up to 25 per cent of the global low-carbon hydrogen market by 2030 as well as to be among the top 10 global suppliers by 2031.

It also supports the country’s 2050 net-zero carbon emissions strategy.

The final policy is expected to be issued separately from the Abu Dhabi hydrogen strategy, which was also due earlier this year.

https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/11205034/main.gif
Jennifer Aguinaldo

Register for MEED's guest program now to access this article.

Click here to register
Exclusive from Meed
Related Articles
  • Taqa raises $750m to finance water projects

    30 July 2026

    Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (Taqa) has issued a $750m five-year blue bond to finance sustainable water and wastewater management projects.

    The company said the transaction is the largest blue bond issuance in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region. It is also the largest blue bond issued by an integrated power and water utility globally.

    Issuing the bond allows Taqa to raise money from investors specifically to support water-related environmental projects. These can include desalination, wastewater treatment, water recycling and reuse, and infrastructure that improves water efficiency.

    It is the first blue bond issued under Taqa’s Green and Blue Finance Framework, and follows another blue financing transaction in the UAE earlier this year.

    On 8 January, Dubai-based Emirates NBD bank announced the completion of a $1bn dual-tranche sustainable bond issuance, comprising a $300m blue tranche with a three-year tenor and a $700m green tranche with a five-year tenor.

    Emirates NBD said at the time that the $300m tranche was the largest blue bond issued in the UAE and GCC. The proceeds are intended to support marine conservation and sustainable water projects, while proceeds from the green tranche will finance green initiatives.

    Taqa launched its original Green Finance Framework in 2023 and updated it in 2026 to include blue financing instruments. The latest issuance takes its total green and blue labelled bond issuances to $2.6bn since 2023.

    The Taqa financing also comes as the company expands and modernises its water infrastructure. Taqa is targeting reverse-osmosis technology for 66% of its desalination capacity by 2030, up from about 40% in 2025.

    In June, Taqa awarded a contract for the construction of a 1-million-cubic-metre emergency lagoon in Abu Dhabi. The project will be developed in two phases.

    Phase one has a capacity of 500,000 cubic metres and is planned to be completed within 18 months of the contract award.

    READ THE AUGUST 2026 MEED BUSINESS REVIEW – click here to view PDF

    Saudi Arabia builds for the global stage; Rising uncertainty creates fresh set of challenges in the Maghreb; Gulf banks remain robust in the face of geopolitical tensions.

    Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the August 2026 edition of MEED Business Review includes:

    > MARKET FOCUS: Maghreb fortunes diverge
    To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here
    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/17845953/main.jpg
    Mark Dowdall
  • UAE renewables firm secures $375m in financing

    30 July 2026

    Positive Zero, the UAE-based renewable energy firm, has announced the successful closing of a financing facility of up to $375m.

    The long-term financing was arranged by Paris-headquartered Natixis Corporate & Investment Banking (Natixis CIB) and Saudi Arabia-based The Arab Energy Fund.

    Natixis CIB also acted as financial adviser, facility agent, security agent and green loan coordinator for the transaction.

    “The non-recourse financing is the first transaction of its kind in the region for a diversified portfolio of decentralised infrastructure assets, including distributed solar power generation, energy efficiency and clean mobility solutions,” Positive Zero said in a statement.

    “The financing will provide substantial long-term capital to support Positive Zero’s continued expansion in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman and Qatar, funding the growth of its distributed infrastructure portfolio, capital expenditure programme and strategic development initiatives,” the Dubai-based firm said.

    The new debt facility secured by Positive Zero builds on US-based BlackRock’s investment of up to $400m in the company in 2023, “further strengthening the company’s capital structure and supporting the next phase of its growth”.

    Positive Zero has the largest distributed solar capacity in the region with more than 500MW in operations and under construction, avoiding more than 450,000 metric tonnes a year of carbon emissions.

    The company has also saved over 100 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) in energy consumption across its client portfolio through its energy-efficiency solutions.

    READ THE AUGUST 2026 MEED BUSINESS REVIEW – click here to view PDF

    Saudi Arabia builds for the global stage; Rising uncertainty creates fresh set of challenges in the Maghreb; Gulf banks remain robust in the face of geopolitical tensions.

    Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the August 2026 edition of MEED Business Review includes:

    > MARKET FOCUS: Maghreb fortunes diverge
    To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here
    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/17845491/main3835.jpg
    Indrajit Sen
  • US-Saudi consortium to build $5bn refinery outside Strait of Hormuz

    30 July 2026

    Register for MEED’s 14-day trial access 

    A consortium of privately owned US and Saudi companies has announced an investment commitment of $5bn to build an integrated oil refining, storage and export facility outside the volatile Strait of Hormuz shipping lane.

    After three years of evaluating sites across the Gulf, the consortium has shortlisted three GCC locations beyond the Strait of Hormuz. Discussions have advanced over the past two years, with a preferred site expected to be selected by the end of 2026.

    The consortium, Mera Oil, comprises Fort Worth, Texas-based MWG Enterprises; the US-based Patel Family Office; and PWS, an associate company of Saudi Arabia’s AHQ Group.

    Mera Oil said it remains open to alternative proposals that meet its infrastructure, resilience and development requirements.

    The proposed project will feature a 200,000-barrel-a-day refinery, deepwater port connectivity, large-scale crude and refined-product storage, and marine export facilities.

    A pre-feasibility study covering refinery design, logistics, capital requirements and execution planning is at an advanced stage.

    Once a host jurisdiction is confirmed, the project will proceed to detailed site assessments and engineering design, with mechanical completion targeted for end-2029, followed by commissioning and the start of commercial operations.

    The consortium plans to focus on producing high-specification middle distillates, including ultra-low sulphur diesel and jet fuel, for selected international markets.

    The project is expected to occupy about 1,200-1,500 acres of port-connected industrial land and could create up to 3,000 direct jobs, and around 15,000 indirect and induced jobs, during construction and operations.

    Mera Oil is also progressing discussions with feedstock suppliers and expects financing to include sponsor equity, sovereign and institutional investment, project finance, export-credit support and sharia-compliant funding structures.

    “Designed as a route-resilient energy hub, the development aims to strengthen regional manufacturing, logistics, technical expertise and energy security,” Mera Oil said.

    The first phase of the planned investment will “incorporate energy-efficient refining technologies, emissions-control systems, and potential future capabilities including sustainable aviation fuel co-processing and carbon management.”

    READ THE AUGUST 2026 MEED BUSINESS REVIEW – click here to view PDF

    Saudi Arabia builds for the global stage; Rising uncertainty creates fresh set of challenges in the Maghreb; Gulf banks remain robust in the face of geopolitical tensions.

    Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the August 2026 edition of MEED Business Review includes:

    > MARKET FOCUS: Maghreb fortunes diverge
    To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here
    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/17843946/main.jpg
    Indrajit Sen
  • Local contractor to build nine Bahrain substations

    30 July 2026

     

    Bahrain’s Electricity & Water Authority (EWA) has awarded the local Al-Kooheji Electrical a contract to build nine 66kV substations across the kingdom, according to a source.

    The project is estimated to be worth $110m and is intended to support rising electricity demand from Bahrain’s domestic, commercial and industrial sectors.

    Four local contractors submitted commercial bids for the contract in January. The bidders were:

    • Nass Contracting ($28.4m)
    • Poullaides Construction Company ($31.7m)
    • Mohammed Jalal Contracting ($32.4m)
    • Al-Kooheji Electrical ($34m)

    The substations will be located at South Hidd Industrial, Mondelez, Alba Downstream Park, Muharraq North, Hamala West, Bani Jamra, Hoora, Maqabah East and West Riffa Club.

    The scope includes the construction of the nine substations and control rooms, as well as the installation of transformers, switchgear and feeders connecting the facilities to the grid.

    It also covers communication cabling, monitoring systems, safety and security systems, and associated civil and structural works.

    As MEED understands, the substations are scheduled to be commissioned in stages. Two are planned for 2026, followed by four in 2027 and the remaining three in 2028.

    Serbia’s Energoprojekt Entel was appointed as consultant for the project in April 2025. The consultant’s contract was valued at about $460,000.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/17834380/main.jpg
    Mark Dowdall
  • CB&I’s newly acquired unit wins Abu Dhabi wells contract

    30 July 2026

    US-based Chicago Bridge & Iron (CB&I) has announced that its Asset Solutions business – acquired earlier this year from UK-headquartered contractor Petrofac – has won a hydrocarbon well services contract in Abu Dhabi.

    The contract was awarded by Cosmo E&P Albahriya, a wholly owned UAE-based subsidiary of Japan’s Cosmo Energy Holdings Company (Cosmo).

    Under the well engineering services contract, CB&I Asset Solutions will support drilling, engineering, planning and operational activities for offshore Block 4 in Abu Dhabi.

    Cosmo secured 100% exploration rights for offshore Block 4 – covering 4,865 square kilometres of Gulf waters northwest of Abu Dhabi city – in February 2021.

    The block was offered in Abu Dhabi’s second hydrocarbons block competitive bidding round, launched by Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) in May 2019.

    “The award strengthens Asset Solutions’ position in the Middle East and solidifies new relationships with key regional operators. With shared goals of prioritising safe, stable and environmentally conscious production, CB&I’s UAE-based team will draw on its local and global experience of delivering innovative well engineering solutions,” the Texas-based CB&I said in a statement.

    ALSO READ: Abu Dhabi awards production licences for hydrocarbon blocks

    READ THE AUGUST 2026 MEED BUSINESS REVIEW – click here to view PDF

    Saudi Arabia builds for the global stage; Rising uncertainty creates fresh set of challenges in the Maghreb; Gulf banks remain robust in the face of geopolitical tensions.

    Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the August 2026 edition of MEED Business Review includes:

    > MARKET FOCUS: Maghreb fortunes diverge
    To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here
    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/17834142/main4710.jpg
    Indrajit Sen