Taqa and Abu Dhabi Ports to develop 2 gigawatt green ammonia facility

Jasim Thabet, group chief executive and managing director at Taqa, left, with Captain Mohamed Al Shamisi, group chief executive of Abu Dhabi Ports at the signing of the agreement. Image courtesy of TaShow more

Abu Dhabi National Energy Company, also known as Taqa, and Abu Dhabi Ports plan to develop a 2 gigawatt green ammonia project in the UAE, as part of efforts to develop the country's hydrogen economy.

The planned facility will tap a 2 gigawatt solar photovoltaic plant to power an electrolyser to produce green hydrogen, which will in turn be processed into liquid ammonia. The green ammonia will be used in ships as bunker fuel and for export from Abu Dhabi Ports through gas carriers.

“Green hydrogen requires large-scale low carbon electricity production and desalinated water. We are pleased to have opened discussions with our partner Abu Dhabi Ports on developing proposals for a major industrial-scale facility that, if it goes ahead, would place Abu Dhabi at the heart of the emerging market for green hydrogen," said Jasim Thabet, Taqa group chief executive and managing director.

"Combining the global reach of Abu Dhabi Ports with the energy and water know-how and established technology partnerships of Taqa could open up exciting opportunities for both companies, for our shareholders and for Abu Dhabi," he added.

The announcement follows plans by the UAE, Opec's third-largest producer, to develop significant hydrogen capacity as it looks to decarbonise its economy.

Key local entities including Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, Mubadala and state holding company ADQ formed an alliance earlier this year to develop significant hydrogen manufacturing capabilities.

The announcement by Taqa and Abu Dhabi Ports is one of many ammonia projects being developed in the UAE's capital.

It follows plans to develop a $1 billion green ammonia plant by the Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi.

Helios Industry, a private special projects company, will develop the plant in two phases alongside local and international partners.

The project will be powered by an 800-megawatt solar power plant within Kizad and is expected to produce 200,000 tonnes of green ammonia from 40,000 tonnes of green hydrogen.

In May, Adnoc announced the development of a massive blue ammonia project at its downstream centre in Ruwais as it looks to expand the UAE’s hydrogen economy. It will have a capacity of 1,000 kilotonnes a year.