UAE, Germany Boost Hydrogen Collaboration

ADNOC and German officials stand for the family photo during the signing ceremony (WAM)
ADNOC and German officials stand for the family photo during the signing ceremony (WAM)
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UAE, Germany Boost Hydrogen Collaboration

ADNOC and German officials stand for the family photo during the signing ceremony (WAM)
ADNOC and German officials stand for the family photo during the signing ceremony (WAM)

Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) signed a new memorandum of understanding (MoU) and joint study agreements (JSA) with counterparts in Germany to boost and deepen collaboration in clean hydrogen.

The agreements were announced during the visit of the German Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, Robert Habeck, to the UAE.

They build upon the longstanding Emirati-German Energy Partnership and the Ministerial Emirati-German Hydrogen Task Force that was inaugurated in November 2021.

UAE's Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and ADNOC Managing Director Sultan al-Jaber said the agreements would help enable and accelerate the global energy transition.

ADNOC has ambitious growth plans for clean hydrogen, a critical tool in efforts to decarbonize hard-to-abate sectors, which we are actively delivering to meet demand in Asia and, through partnerships, Europe.

"We remain committed to working with like-minded partners across the public and private sectors to implement tangible projects that will supply the world's energy needs while reducing carbon emissions and the carbon intensity of the energy that supports our everyday lives," asserted Jaber.

ADNOC seeks to enter European markets through Germany. It is expected to accelerate further the delivery of UAE's Hydrogen Leadership Roadmap, which has identified Germany as a critical export market to provide up to 25 percent of the country's imported clean hydrogen.

As part of its ambitious decarbonization drive, the German government's National Hydrogen Strategy expects clean hydrogen demand of up to 3 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) by 2030, of which around 60 percent is expected to be imported. Notably, demand may grow to over 11 Mtpa by 2050.

Habeck underlined the importance of the Emirati-German cooperation for advancing on climate action, saying: "The accelerated scale-up of hydrogen supply chains is key for our transition to sustainable energy and for achieving the decarbonization goals in line with our commitments under the Paris Agreement. Today's agreements signal a decisive milestone towards meeting our climate action ambitions."

Meanwhile, a spokesman for the German Economy Ministry told Reuters that Habeck did not speak with ADNOC about increasing oil production,

"We haven't talked about oil except OPEC. In this respect, the appeal that the production volume is increased in such a way that the people of the world can pay for this oil as long as we need it," Habeck told journalists after a meeting with the company.

During the minister's visit, cooperation agreements and low-carbon demonstration cargos were signed, including Individual contracts with German companies Aurubis, RWE, GETEC, and STEAG to explore opportunities for collaboration in low-carbon and renewable hydrogen derivatives, including the execution of the first low-carbon (blue) ammonia demonstration cargos, produced by Fertiglobe, from the UAE to Germany in 2022 for use in a variety of applications.

Fertiglobe is a critical strategic partner for ADNOC in ammonia, and ADNOC will provide low-carbon ammonia to its partners in Germany that Fertiglobe produces at its Fertil plant in the Ruwais Industrial Complex in Abu Dhabi.

The sales represent a further milestone in the planned scale-up of blue ammonia production capabilities in Abu Dhabi.

ADNOC and its partners invest in a new world-scale 1 million metric tonnes per annum blue ammonia project at TA'ZIZ in Ruwais, subject to regulatory approvals.

ADNOC is also exploring with its partners various opportunities in green hydrogen.

Memorandum of Understanding between ADNOC, HHLA, and AD Ports Group: ADNOC entered into an MoU with HHLA, a Hamburg-based logistics and transportation company specializing in port throughput and container and transport logistics, and AD Ports Group to work on realizing Hamburg's ambition to become a hydrogen import hub in Germany.

Under the agreement, the parties will explore opportunities to increase the capabilities of the technology currently used to transport hydrogen using organic liquids to help meet the growing global demand for hydrogen transportation.



FAO Aims for Key Outcomes at COP16 in Saudi Arabia

Preparations in the Saudi capital ahead of hosting the COP16 conference on combating desertification (from the “COP16” page on the X platform)
Preparations in the Saudi capital ahead of hosting the COP16 conference on combating desertification (from the “COP16” page on the X platform)
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FAO Aims for Key Outcomes at COP16 in Saudi Arabia

Preparations in the Saudi capital ahead of hosting the COP16 conference on combating desertification (from the “COP16” page on the X platform)
Preparations in the Saudi capital ahead of hosting the COP16 conference on combating desertification (from the “COP16” page on the X platform)

Dr. Abdul Hakim Elwaer, Assistant Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), stated that the organization will take an active role at COP16, the UN conference on combating desertification, scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia in early December.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, he expressed confidence that the conference—the first of its kind in the Middle East—would produce significant outcomes.

Elwaer’s comments came during a roundtable organized by FAO’s regional office in Cairo, attended by a select group of media representatives. The session focused on FAO’s participation in the upcoming conference and the importance of the Rio Trio —the integrated framework of the three major UN conventions addressing climate change, biodiversity conservation, and desertification.

Fida Haddad, FAO’s Program Officer for Land Rehabilitation and Climate Change, highlighted the interconnectedness of the three conventions and noted that COP16 would place a strong emphasis on land and water rehabilitation and their sustainable management.

Haddad pointed out that approximately 90% of the Middle East is affected by arid conditions. Despite this, local communities and Arab governments have made notable progress in addressing desertification and drought. She also announced that, for the first time, FAO has successfully placed food systems on the COP16 agenda, enabling discussions on how land rehabilitation can enhance food supply chains and systems.

Elwaer underscored FAO’s central role in achieving the second Sustainable Development Goal (SDG): eradicating hunger. He emphasized that FAO actively engages in the UN conventions on climate change, biodiversity, and desertification, which collectively contribute to this mission.

FAO’s focus, according to Elwaer, is on transforming food and agricultural systems to become more inclusive, efficient, and sustainable, aiming for better production, nutrition, and livelihoods. He highlighted the organization’s success in integrating these priorities into the agendas of the three conventions and collaborating with host countries on joint initiatives.

He further noted that Saudi Arabia’s hosting of COP16 is particularly significant for the region, which faces pressing challenges such as water scarcity, desertification, and food insecurity. The conference presents an opportunity for Middle Eastern nations to highlight these issues, explore solutions, and ensure their inclusion in global environmental discussions, not only at this event but in future COP sessions, he underlined.

Elwaer emphasized the growing global attention on desertification, as it is now impacting regions previously unaffected, such as southern Europe and parts of Latin America. These areas are witnessing alarming declines in arable land and forests, prompting them to seek lessons from the Arab world, which has developed resilience strategies to combat desertification over centuries.

FAO will have a strong presence at COP16, with two dedicated pavilions—one in the Blue Zone for official delegations and another in the Green Zone to engage civil society and conference participants, he said.

He added that in collaboration with Saudi Arabia and the UN, FAO will lead coordination on Food Day and Governance Day, scheduled for December 5 and 6, respectively. The organization will also participate in other specialized sessions throughout the conference.