Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISEAn analysis commissioned by the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure (MOEI) of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) | Fraunhofer CINES (Fraunhofer ISE, Fraunhofer IEG) and GHD Advisory | November 2023
National Hydrogen Strategy of the United Arab Emirates
Analysis
Global leader by 2031
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) aims to become one of the world's leading producers of low-carbon hydrogen by 2031. The UAE government has therefore commissioned the Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence Integrated Energy Systems CINES, represented by Fraunhofer ISE and Fraunhofer IEG, and the consulting firm GHD Advisory to develop a national hydrogen strategy. The strategy is a comprehensive analysis of the opportunities and obstacles for the future hydrogen economy in the UAE and aims to develop long-term measures towards a sustainable energy policy and to guide further investments in this sector.
Steps toward a low-carbon hydrogen economy
For implementation, the strategy proposes ten steps that enable the development of a low-carbon hydrogen economy.
Looking towards a defossilized future, the researchers from Fraunhofer CINES and GHD conclude that the UAE’s low-carbon hydrogen production capacity could reach 7.5 million tons per year by 2040 and almost 15 million tons per year by 2050.
Concrete measures
The strategy’s concrete measures primarily include the creation of so-called hydrogen oases. These are hydrogen production hubs that will play a pioneering role by activating the domestic hydrogen market. At the same time, an appropriate policy framework will support the growth of the hydrogen industry and initiate cooperation with other countries in the region in the production, transport, and use of hydrogen, on the path toward a global hydrogen market. The researchers expect domestic as well as export demand for hydrogen to be significant – driven by the UAE’s net zero target for 2050 as well as by global demand for environmentally friendly hydrogen, sustainable aviation fuel, and sustainable chemical products, as well as the decarbonization of hard-to-electrify industrial sectors.
Authors:
- Dr. Jan Braun (Fraunhofer CINES)
- Prof. Dr. Christopher Hebling (Fraunhofer ISE)
- Prof. Dr. Mario Ragwitz, Hazem Abdel-Khalek, Veronika Lenivova (Fraunhofer IEG)
- Thomas Evans, Noor ElShatlawy, Andrew Winship, Zeynep Kurban, Cooper McLean (GHD Advisory)
In CINES, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft brings together the competencies of its institutes for applied energy research. The cluster includes the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE and the Fraunhofer Research Institution for Energy Infrastructures and Geothermal Systems IEG, both of which worked on the strategy.
Year:
2023
Contracting Authority:
Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure (MOEI) of the United Arab Emirates (UAE)