Abu Dhabi’s ADNOC signs agreements with German companies to collaborate on clean hydrogen

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

The German government’s National Hydrogen Strategy expects clean hydrogen demand of up to 3 million tons per annum (Mtpa) by 2030, of which around 60 per cent is anticipated to be imported. Demand may also grow to over 11 Mtpa by 2050.

ADNOC is developing its footprint in the clean hydrogen export markets of Asia, such as Japan and South Korea.

Read: UAE sells another blue ammonia cargo to Japan in hydrogen push

With its European expansion, ADNOC is expected to further accelerate the delivery of the UAE’s Hydrogen Leadership Roadmap, which has identified Germany as a key export market with a target of providing up to 25 per cent of the country’s imported clean hydrogen.

The agreements which were announced include:

Cooperation agreements and low-carbon demonstration cargos – Individual agreements were signed 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 ammonia demonstration cargos, produced by Fertiglobe – a strategic partnership between OCI and ADNOC – from the UAE to Germany in 2022.

In addition, ADNOC and its partners are investing in a new one million metric tons per annum blue ammonia project in Ruwais, subject to regulatory approvals. The state-owned company, with its partners, is also exploring various opportunities in green hydrogen.

Read: Mubadala, ADNOC and ADQ form alliance to grow green hydrogen economy in the UAE

Joint study agreement between ADNOC, Hydrogenious, JERA, Uniper – ADNOC entered into a JSA with Uniper and Hydrogenious of Germany and JERA to explore hydrogen transportation between the UAE and Germany using Hydrogenious’ Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carrier (LOHC) technology.

MoU between ADNOC, HHLA and AD Ports Group – ADNOC entered into a MoU with HHLA, a Hamburg-based logistics and transportation company and AD Ports Group to help Hamburg’s ambition of becoming a hydrogen import hub in Germany.

.@ADNOCGroup has signed strategic partnerships with leading companies to explore clean hydrogen exports to Germany, laying the foundation to expand supply into Europe. The agreement supports the UAE’s plans to supply up to 25 per cent of hydrogen imported into key global markets. pic.twitter.com/u5PIP885J9

— مكتب أبوظبي الإعلامي (@admediaoffice) March 23, 2022

Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and ADNOC managing director and group CEO, said: “The UAE and Germany have a deep, longstanding bilateral relationship and a growing partnership in clean energy, helping to enable and accelerate the global energy transition. At ADNOC, we have ambitious growth plans for clean hydrogen, a critical tool in efforts to decarbonise hard-to-abate sectors, which we are actively delivering on to meet demand in Asia, and through today’s partnerships, Europe as well.”

Federal Minister for Economics and Climate Action Dr. Robert Habeck added: “The accelerated scale-up of hydrogen supply chains is key for our transition to sustainable energy and for achieving the decarbonisation goals in line with our commitments under the Paris Agreement. Today’s agreements signal a decisive milestone towards meeting our climate action ambitions.”