An aerial view of the Green Hydrogen project at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in Dubai. Photo: Siemens Energy
An aerial view of the Green Hydrogen project at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in Dubai. Photo: Siemens Energy
An aerial view of the Green Hydrogen project at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in Dubai. Photo: Siemens Energy
An aerial view of the Green Hydrogen project at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in Dubai. Photo: Siemens Energy

Cop26: UAE plans to be key player in hydrogen


Tim Stickings
  • English
  • Arabic

The UAE plans to become a key player in the hydrogen fuel industry with a strategy to speed up its deployment which was unveiled at Cop26 on Thursday.

Mariam Al Mheiri, Minister for Climate Change and Environment, said the country was at the “crest of the wave” of hydrogen’s increasing importance.

She announced the launch of a UAE Hydrogen Leadership Roadmap which she said would play a key role in the country’s low-carbon transition.

The world is witnessing a growing interest in hydrogen, and the UAE is at the crest of the wave
Mariam Al Mheiri,
Minister for Climate Change and Environment

It came on the fourth day of the Glasgow summit, which is dedicated to talks on energy. With Britain rallying countries to stop burning coal, the world is looking to environmentally friendly alternatives such as hydrogen.

Hydrogen produces only water when it is used as fuel, making it a clean energy source. It can be generated from fossil fuels or renewables.

Speaking in Glasgow, the minister said it would be important to the UAE’s plan to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

“The world is witnessing a growing interest in hydrogen, and the UAE is at the crest of the wave,” she said.

“The country has the natural resources, technological expertise and the political will needed to become a key player in the global hydrogen supply chain.

“We aim to involve all sectors and all actors in accelerating hydrogen deployment and cost reduction to ensure the UAE is making headway towards a cleaner future.”

The minister said the UAE would build on previous work, such as the Abu Dhabi Hydrogen Alliance which was established in January.

In May, the country commissioned its first green hydrogen plant at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park.

Green hydrogen refers to fuel produced from renewable sources. It is known as blue hydrogen when it comes from fossil fuels.

“The roadmap builds on our knowledge of the industry, and will assist us in aligning our efforts, developing new policies and increasing the private sector's participation in the hydrogen space”, the minister said.

The UAE Cop26 Pavilion. Ashraf Helmi / The National
The UAE Cop26 Pavilion. Ashraf Helmi / The National
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Timeline

2012-2015

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May 2017

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September 2021

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Founders: Abdulmajeed Alsukhan, Turki Bin Zarah and Abdulmohsen Albabtain.

Based: Riyadh

Offices: UAE, Vietnam and Germany

Founded: September, 2020

Number of employees: 70

Sector: FinTech, online payment solutions

Funding to date: $116m in two funding rounds  

Investors: Checkout.com, Impact46, Vision Ventures, Wealth Well, Seedra, Khwarizmi, Hala Ventures, Nama Ventures and family offices

What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE

Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.

White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogenChromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxideUltramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica contentOphiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on landOlivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour

Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
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Torque: 389Nm @ 2,500rpm

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Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are tokens that represent ownership of unique items. They allow the tokenisation of things such as art, collectibles and even real estate.

 

An NFT can have only one official owner at one time. And since they're minted and secured on the Ethereum blockchain, no one can modify the record of ownership, not even copy-paste it into a new one.

 

This means NFTs are not interchangeable and cannot be exchanged with other items. In contrast, fungible items, such as fiat currencies, can be exchanged because their value defines them rather than their unique properties.

 
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Dirham Stretcher tips for having a baby in the UAE

Selma Abdelhamid, the group's moderator, offers her guide to guide the cost of having a young family:

• Buy second hand stuff

 They grow so fast. Don't get a second hand car seat though, unless you 100 per cent know it's not expired and hasn't been in an accident.

• Get a health card and vaccinate your child for free at government health centres

 Ms Ma says she discovered this after spending thousands on vaccinations at private clinics.

• Join mum and baby coffee mornings provided by clinics, babysitting companies or nurseries.

Before joining baby classes ask for a free trial session. This way you will know if it's for you or not. You'll be surprised how great some classes are and how bad others are.

• Once baby is ready for solids, cook at home

Take the food with you in reusable pouches or jars. You'll save a fortune and you'll know exactly what you're feeding your child.

Updated: November 04, 2021, 1:58 PM