The Emirates Steel plant in Mussaffah. The company is looking to lower the carbon footprint of steel production. Antonie Robertson / The National
The Emirates Steel plant in Mussaffah. The company is looking to lower the carbon footprint of steel production. Antonie Robertson / The National
The Emirates Steel plant in Mussaffah. The company is looking to lower the carbon footprint of steel production. Antonie Robertson / The National
The Emirates Steel plant in Mussaffah. The company is looking to lower the carbon footprint of steel production. Antonie Robertson / The National

Taqa to supply Emirates Steel with green hydrogen for steel production


Jennifer Gnana
  • English
  • Arabic

Abu Dhabi National Energy Company, better known as Taqa, will supply Emirates Steel with green hydrogen – a move that could bolster the UAE's efforts to lower the emissions of its energy-intensive industrial activities.

Hydrogen is used as a reducing agent in steel production, replacing the more polluting coal, which countries around the world are seeking to phase out.

Green hydrogen uses renewable energy to power electrolysis, which splits water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen.

"Finding commercially viable industrial-scale solutions like this is key to unlocking the potential of green hydrogen as an emerging clean energy source," said Jasim Thabet, Taqa's group chief executive and managing director.

"Taqa is uniquely well-placed in this region to combine our ... solar PV [photovoltaic], water and energy know-how to unlock opportunities that work for our stakeholders."

The UAE, Opec's third-largest oil producer, is evaluating alternative energy sources to rapidly decarbonise its economy by 2050.

Hydrogen has become a top investment priority for oil-exporting Gulf countries. Earlier this year, Adnoc, Mubadala and holding company ADQ formed an alliance for the development of green and blue hydrogen.

Abu Dhabi's Taqa is looking to increase the share of renewable energy in its portfolio to 30 per cent by 2030. The clean power is set to largely come from solar photovoltaic.

Last month, the company also signed an agreement with Abu Dhabi Ports to develop a 2-gigawatt green ammonia project in the UAE.

Green ammonia is an industry allied with the hydrogen economy. Green hydrogen produced through clean sources is converted to ammonia, which can be easily transported and reconverted into the fuel for power generation or for use as a fertiliser.

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

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

The Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi is also developing a $1 billion green ammonia plant.

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.

Groom and Two Brides

Director: Elie Semaan

Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla

Rating: 3/5

RESULTS
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The rules on fostering in the UAE

A foster couple or family must:

  • be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
  • not be younger than 25 years old
  • not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
  • be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
  • have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
  • undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
  • A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
Timeline

2012-2015

The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East

May 2017

The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts

September 2021

Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act

October 2021

Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence 

December 2024

Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group

May 2025

The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan

July 2025

The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan

August 2025

Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision

October 2025

Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange

November 2025

180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE

THE BIG MATCH

Arsenal v Manchester City,

Sunday, Emirates Stadium, 6.30pm

Barcelona 3
Messi (27’, 32’, 87’)

Leganes 1
El Zhar (68’)

Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
Rating: 2/5
 
Apple's%20Lockdown%20Mode%20at%20a%20glance
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Why it pays to compare

A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.

Route 1: bank transfer

The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.

Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount

Total received: €4,670.30 

Route 2: online platform

The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.

Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction

Total received: €4,756

The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.

Lexus LX700h specs

Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor

Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh590,000

List of alleged parties

 

May 12, 2020: PM and his wife Carrie attend 'work meeting' with at least 17 staff 

May 20, 2020: They attend 'bring your own booze party'

Nov 27, 2020: PM gives speech at leaving party for his staff 

Dec 10, 2020: Staff party held by then-education secretary Gavin Williamson 

Dec 13, 2020: PM and his wife throw a party

Dec 14, 2020: London mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey holds staff event at Conservative Party headquarters 

Dec 15, 2020: PM takes part in a staff quiz 

Dec 18, 2020: Downing Street Christmas party 

The BIO

Favourite piece of music: Verdi’s Requiem. It’s awe-inspiring.

Biggest inspiration: My father, as I grew up in a house where music was constantly played on a wind-up gramophone. I had amazing music teachers in primary and secondary school who inspired me to take my music further. They encouraged me to take up music as a profession and I follow in their footsteps, encouraging others to do the same.

Favourite book: Ian McEwan’s Atonement – the ending alone knocked me for six.

Favourite holiday destination: Italy - music and opera is so much part of the life there. I love it.

Global Fungi Facts

• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil

Updated: August 04, 2021, 6:14 AM