meed-logo

line1 line2 line3
SIGN IN / REGISTER

Grid source optional for Abu Dhabi hydrogen projects

9 November 2023

Developers of green hydrogen projects in Abu Dhabi will have the option to source renewable power through the electricity grid or build renewable energy plants that are integrated into their planned hydrogen and derivatives production facilities.

This is one of the provisions of the emirate's public policy on low-carbon hydrogen policy, which the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy (DoE) has drafted, and which is awaiting final government approval,  Carlos Gasco Travesedo, DoE energy policy executive director, tells MEED.

Travesedo declined to confirm a specific timeline for when the final policy will be issued, despite mounting speculations that it will be issued around or during the upcoming Cop28 climate summit, which the UAE will host from 30 November to 12 December this year.

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 Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) and the French utility developer and investor 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 100MW green hydrogen-based ammonia production facility planned in Ruwais, is expected to reach financial close by the end of the year. 

A consortium led by Engie, in partnership with Fertiglobe and Masdar, will develop the project. The team expects tomakee a final investment decision (FID) on the project by the fourth quarter of 2023.

The consortium also plans to purchase renewable energy from Emirates Water & Electricity Company (Ewec) to power the facility,

Kezad

The Khailfa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi (Kezad) is also expected to play a major role in the UAE capital's green hydrogen strategy.

It is the location of several planned 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.

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 that 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.

https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/11284816/main.jpg
Jennifer Aguinaldo

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

Click here to register
Exclusive from Meed
Related Articles
  • Prequalification begins for Riyadh King Salman Stadium

    27 November 2025

    Register for MEED’s 14-day trial access 

    Saudi Arabia’s Sports Ministry has issued a notice inviting companies to prequalify for a contract to design and build the King Salman International Stadium in Riyadh.

    The notice was issued on 26 November, with a prequalification deadline of 16 February.

    The stadium will cover an area of about 660,000 square metres (sq m) and will have a seating capacity of 92,000.

    The stadium will feature a 150-seat royal suite, 120 hospitality suites, 300 VIP seats and 2,200 dignitary seats.

    The plan also includes several sports facilities covering more than 360,000 sq m, including two training fields and fan zones; a closed sports hall; an Olympic-sized swimming pool; an athletics track; and outdoor courts for volleyball, basketball and padel.

    The new stadium will host the final of the 2034 Fifa World Cup and will serve as the Saudi national football team’s main headquarters.

    US-based architectural firm Populous is the lead architect for the stadium.

    Construction of the stadium is expected to be completed by 2029.

    The stadium will be located next to King Abdulaziz Park.

    Saudi Arabia stadium plans

    In August last year, MEED reported that Saudi Arabia plans to build 11 new stadiums to host the Fifa World Cup in 2034.

    Eight stadiums will be located in Riyadh, four in Jeddah and one each in Al-Khobar, Abha and Neom.

    An additional 10 cities will host training bases. These are Al-Baha, Jazan, Taif, Medina, Alula, Umluj, Tabuk, Hail, Al-Ahsa and Buraidah.

    There are expected to be 134 training sites across the kingdom, including 61 existing facilities and 73 new training venues.

    The kingdom was officially selected to host the 2034 Fifa World Cup through an online convention of Fifa member associations at the Fifa Congress on 11 December 2024.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/15166460/main.jpg
    Yasir Iqbal
  • Morocco signs $861m deal for polysilicon plant

    27 November 2025

    Register for MEED’s 14-day trial access 

    Morocco has signed a MD8bn ($861m) investment agreement with GPM Holding to establish the country’s first polysilicon manufacturing plant in the southern province of Tan-Tan.

    GPM Holding is a US-based company and a key partner in Green Power Morocco (GPM), which specialises in the installation and maintenance of photovoltaic solar panels.

    GPM is a joint venture with UAE-based renewable energy company Amea Power.

    The planned facility will be located in the El-Ouatia industrial zone, according to the North African country’s Ministry of Investment.

    The facility will have an annual production capacity of 30,000 tonnes, with 85% earmarked for export.

    The plant is expected to generate 1,500 direct and more than 2,000 indirect jobs and strengthen Morocco’s position in renewable energy supply chains, particularly in the manufacturing of solar panel components, according to the Ministry of Investment.

    Last year, GPM completed a 34MW solar project in Hjar Nhal, south of Tangier, under a corporate power purchase agreement.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/15163133/main.jpg
    Wil Crisp
  • Emarat awards contract for Dubai airport jet fuel pipeline

    26 November 2025

    Register for MEED’s 14-day trial access 

    Dubai’s Emirates General Petroleum Corporation (Emarat) has awarded a contract for engineering services for a project to build a new jet-fuel supply pipeline to Al-Maktoum International airport in the emirate.

    The contract for end-to-end engineering design services has been won by Bilfinger Middle East, a subsidiary of Germany-headquartered Bilfinger Tebodin.

    The expansion of Al-Maktoum International airport is estimated to be valued at $35bn. The government approved the updated designs and timelines for its largest construction project in April 2024.

    In a statement, the authorities said the plan is for all operations from Dubai International airport to be transferred to Al-Maktoum International within 10 years.

    The statement added that the project will create housing demand for 1 million people around the airport.

    In September last year, MEED exclusively reported that a team comprising Austria’s Coop Himmelb(l)au and Lebanon’s Dar Al-Handasah had been confirmed as the lead masterplanning and design consultants on the expansion of Al-Maktoum airport.

    Construction on the first phase has already begun. In May, MEED exclusively reported that DAEP had awarded a AED1bn ($272m) deal to UAE firm Binladin Contracting Group to construct the second runway at the airport.

    The enabling works on the terminal are also ongoing and are being undertaken by Abu Dhabi-based Tristar E&C.

    Construction works on the project’s first phase are expected to be completed by 2032.

    ALSO READ: Dubai selects Al-Maktoum airport substructure contractor

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/15160792/main0620.jpg
    Indrajit Sen
  • Arabian Construction Company wins Trump Tower Jeddah

    26 November 2025

    Register for MEED’s 14-day trial access 

    Abu Dhabi-based contractor Arabian Construction Company has won the main contract to build the Trump Tower Jeddah.

    Saudi Arabia-headquartered real estate developer Dar Global is developing the project in collaboration with the US-based Trump Organisation.

    The 47-floor tower is expected to be developed at an estimated cost of SR2bn ($532m).

    The enabling works have been completed and were undertaken by the local Specialised Italian Foundation Company.

    In August, MEED exclusively reported that Dar Global was preparing to award the main construction contract to build the Trump Tower development in Jeddah.

    The project is the latest addition to Dar Global’s portfolio, following its announcement of two new projects in Riyadh with the Trump Organisation.

    The announcement follows a partnership deal signed by Dar Global in September last year with Geneva-based jeweller Mouawad to develop a residential project in Riyadh.

    The estimated SR880m ($234m) development will offer 200 residential villas north of Riyadh, close to the Expo 2030 site.

    The development is expected to be completed by 2026.

    According to an official statement, Dar Global has $7.5bn-worth of projects under development in six countries: the UAE, Oman, Qatar, the UK, Spain and Saudi Arabia.

    UK analytics firm GlobalData expects the kingdom’s construction industry to record an annual average growth rate of 5.2% in 2025-28, supported by investments in transport, electricity, housing and tourism infrastructure projects and the Saudi gigaprojects programme.

    The industry will also be supported by the government’s aim of increasing homeownership from 62% in 2020 to 70% by 2030, as part of Saudi Vision 2030.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/15159884/main.jpeg
    Yasir Iqbal
  • Bahrain’s economy walks precarious path

    26 November 2025

    Download the PDF

    MEED’s December 2025 report on Bahrain includes:

    > COMMENT: Manama pursues reform amid strain
    > GVT & ECONOMY: Bahrain’s cautious economic evolution
    > BANKING: Mergers loom over Bahrain’s banking system
    > OIL & GAS: Bahrain remains in pursuit of hydrocarbon resources
    > POWER & WATER: Bahrain advances utility reform
    > CONSTRUCTION: Bahrain construction faces major slowdown
    > TRANSPORT: Air Asia aviation deal boosts connectivity

    To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here
    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/15159666/main.gif
    MEED Editorial