Masdar, TotalEnergies to produce green hydrogen-to-SAF fuels in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company, known as Masdar, has agreed with France’s TotalEnergies to explore a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) project using methanol derived from green hydrogen.

The project seeks to help decarbonise hard-to-abate, emission-intensive sectors such as the aviation and maritime industries. It will also capture and use CO2 from an industrial source as a feedstock, in addition to green hydrogen from renewable energy-powered electrolysis, for the production of green methanol and SAF.

The agreement between Masdar and TotalEnergies follows a test flight conducted by the two companies during COP28 that demonstrated the potential for converting methanol to SAF.

The UAE’s General Policy for SAF sets a voluntary target of providing 1 per cent of fuel supplied to national airlines at UAE airports using locally produced SAF by 2031. It seeks to develop a national regulatory framework for SAF by exploring potential policies to support the long-term economic operation of SAF facilities in the UAE.

The deal aligns with Abu Dhabi’s Low Carbon Hydrogen Policy, which is expected to significantly contribute to promoting low-carbon hydrogen as a future energy source.

Founded in 2006, Masdar has been a critical enabler of the UAE’s vision as a global leader in sustainability and climate action. It has invested in renewable projects around the world at different stages of development, with an overall capacity of roughly 20 gigawatts (GW) and a value of more than $30bn.

The renewable energy firm has developed and partnered in projects in more than 40 countries as it seeks to increase its portfolio capacity to 100GW by 2030 and to become a leading producer of green hydrogen by the same year.

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