The UAE has the capability to become an exporter of renewable hydrogen to Europe in the future, according to a top EU official.
The UAE is home to a large amount of potential solar power, which means that the potential for producing green, renewable hydrogen, is particularly high.
“What is important for us, in addition to scaling up renewable hydrogen in the EU, is to create a global hydrogen market that would facilitate production and trade. For this, we need other pioneers across the globe who prioritise renewable hydrogen, and UAE with its abundant solar power and interest in hydrogen has much potential in this field,” Kadri Simson, European Union Commissioner for Energy told state news agency WAM.
“It cannot be excluded that in the future, the UAE would export renewable hydrogen to Europe, to meet the growing demand,” Simson added.
Countries in the Middle East have announced big plans for green energy. Earlier this year, the UAE set a net zero goal by 2050, along with an announcement of a bevy of investments in clean energy solutions including green hydrogen.
Simson noted that hydrogen could play an important role in the future in decarbonising sectors that have been difficult to do so, such as heavy industry and shipping.
“It can also be used as a storage solution for renewable energy, something that is becoming increasingly important as we move towards net zero,” she said.
Regarding EU-UAE cooperation in other energy arenas, Simpson said, “We now have a common commitment in the EU and the UAE to become climate neutral by 2050. I am very interested in seeing the concrete plans to implement this ambitious agenda and I hope this serves as inspiration for those countries in the region who don’t yet have net zero as a target.”
