The Oman Ministry of Energy and Minerals has established a new national hydrogen alliance to boost the regions clean hydrogen capabilities.
As reported by Oman News Agency, the alliance consists of 13 major institutions from both public and private sectors that will look to put the Sultanate on the map for developing clean hydrogen production in addition to its use. This includes names such as Shell, BP and Total Energies.
This is expected to help advance technologies for developing clean hydrogen and using them in line with the energy diversification plans for the Oman Vision 2040.
The Sultanate of Oman has established a national hydrogen alliance to develop an industry for the production, transport and use of the fuel as part of a national plan to replace fossil fuels.The alliance, reports note, includes 13 institutions from the public and private sectors, government agencies, oil and gas operators, educational and research institutions and ports.
The establishment of the alliance comes following May announcement by the Gulf country of a consortium including state-owned oil firm OQ would develop a solar- and wind-energy powered project capable of producing millions of tons of zero-carbon green hydrogen per year.
Oman has inscribed the project into its energy diversification plans included in the country’s Vision 2040 economic transformation blueprint.
Green hydrogen, created by splitting water into its two components using electricity from renewable energy sources, has emerged as a fuel to replace fossil fuels and their high carbon emissions. Several countries in the Arab world, including UAE and Morocco, have embarked on similar projects.
Oman has brought together 13 public and private-sector institutions to create a national hydrogen alliance as it seeks to develop a supply chain for the green fuel.
Government agencies, oil and gas operators, educational and research institutions, as well as ports will work together on the local production, transportation, utilization and export of clean hydrogen, the state Oman News Agency reported.
Gulf Arab countries are well positioned for the growing demand for clean hydrogen due to their climate, location, and experience developing large energy supply chains.
The alliance will attract investment and develop technology, policies and expertise throughout the entire hydrogen supply chain under the leadership of the Ministry of Energy and Minerals through the Future Energies Unit of Petroleum Development Oman.
Other members of the alliance include the Public Services Regulatory Authority, Energy Development Oman, Okio Group, Oman Liquefied Natural Gas Company, BP Oman, Shell Oman, Total Energy Oman, Sultan Qaboos University, German University of Technology, Sohar Port and Duqm Port.
In May, Oman announced a plan to build the biggest green hydrogen plant in the world over the coming 27 years along with 25 GW of solar and wind power.
Yesterday, Saudi Arabia said it had signed an agreement with Germany to explore opportunities in clean hydrogen, while earlier in the week Aramco said it is looking for off-take agreements for blue hydrogen in its key markets including Japan and South Korea.
Blue hydrogen uses the traditional Haber-Bosch method of turning natural gas into hydrogen but captures the carbon emissions, while green hydrogen is created by splitting water with renewable energy.
Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (TAQA) has “all the right ingredients” to develop green hydrogen, including cost-efficient renewable power and water, CEO Jasim Husain Thabet told Arab News this week.
Source H2-view