Abu Dhabi catches the hydrogen bug
The oil-rich emirate has been slow to join the hydrogen economy—but a tie-up between the government’s corporate mainstays augurs a dramatic change of heart
Abu Dhabi has defied the global sustainable energy trend over the past year, but recent actions by the emirate’s leadership and parastatal companies signal an abrupt change of strategy. State-owned giant Adnoc responded counterintuitively to the pandemic-triggered collapse in fossil fuel demand by committing to a 25pc hike in long-term oil production capacity and to a $122bn five-year investment plan heavily focused on hydrocarbons. A vague corollary pledge to “explore opportunities in hydrogen” had the look of a tokenistic afterthought. Yet for over a decade, both the capital emirate and neighbouring Dubai have paradoxically also styled themselves as clean energy pioneers. Indeed, the two e
Also in this section
15 May 2024
Huge turnout for Rotterdam trade show masks worrying lack of progress for nascent industry confronting the harsh realities of transition
8 May 2024
Commission modelling of emission reduction pathway implies undershoot of current hydrogen production and imports targets, according to speakers at a recent Hydrogen Europe event
8 May 2024
Hydrogen cars may not have much credibility, but the same could have been said about EVs not too long ago
3 May 2024
Australia’s Fortescue and France’s EDF Renewables among the successful bidders as second-round auction draws green hydrogen projects worth about $11b