Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (TAQA), one of the largest listed integrated utilities in the region, and Abu Dhabi Ports, announced on Wednesday they are discussing the development of an industrial scale green hydrogen to ammonia export project in Abu Dhabi.
A partnership on a green hydrogen to ammonia project on this scale between TAQA and Abu Dhabi Ports, would be a significant step towards placing Abu Dhabi at the heart of a new emerging global market for green energy.
Under an MoU signed by Jasim Husain Thabet, TAQA’s Group Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director and Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Group CEO, Abu Dhabi Ports, the companies will work together on developing proposals for a green ammonia export facility to be based in Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi (KIZAD).
“Green hydrogen requires large-scale low carbon electricity production and desalinated water. TAQA is an internationally recognized leader in both of these. 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 Thabet.
Mega project
The new plant would be fuelled by hydrogen produced by an electrolyzer facility paired with a 2 GW solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant. The green hydrogen would be turned into liquid ammonia to supply ships converted to use ammonia as a bunker fuel and for export from Abu Dhabi Ports via specialized gas carriers. Ammonia, which is relatively easier to transport than pure hydrogen, has a number of industrial uses and can also be easily turned back into hydrogen.
The TAQA-Abu Dhabi Ports project will also feature a storage facility at Khalifa Port, opening the opportunity for it to become a hub for exporting green ammonia to international markets including Europe and the East Asia. The solar farm, electrolyser and the ammonia production plant will be situated in KIZAD. The ammonia plant will have pipeline connectivity to the Khalifa Port storage facility enabling large volumes of ammonia to be directly delivered to the port.
“We are pleased to initiate talks with TAQA, a national champion in the field of diversified utilities and energy, for the potential development of an industrial scale green hydrogen to ammonia export facility. This potential collaboration aims to address regional and global green energy needs, as well as supporting the goal of our nation’s leadership to position Abu Dhabi at the heart of the new emerging green energy market,” Al Shamisi.
