A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed by Masdar, Port of Amsterdam, SkyNRG, Evos Amsterdam, and Zenith Energy to investigate the creation of a green hydrogen supply chain between Abu Dhabi and Amsterdam to assist Dutch and European markets.
The MoU was signed by Ellen Ruhotas, Managing Director of New Energies for Zenith Energy, Maarten van Dijk, Chief Development Officer of SkyNRG, Gert-Jan Nieuwenhuizen, Managing Director for the Port of Amsterdam, Bart van der Meer, Business Development Manager of Evos, and Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, Chief Executive Officer of Masdar. Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, President-Designate of COP28, and Chairman of Masdar, as well as Wopke Hoekstra, Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs, witnessed the signing of the agreement.
According to Dr. Al Jaber, “This agreement strengthens the already-existing ties between the UAE and the Netherlands and shows our shared commitment to looking into low- and zero-carbon energy solutions. The relationship with the Port of Amsterdam and other associated green hydrogen companies will help position Abu Dhabi as a major center for green hydrogen development. The UAE wants to play a significant role in the developing green hydrogen economy.
According to Hoekstra, the Netherlands is interested in creating green hydrogen corridors with significant prospective exporting nations like the UAE. Our nation is perfectly situated to develop become a hydrogen hub for the market in Northwestern Europe. I applaud the cooperation between Dutch and UAE enterprises in the hydrogen sector and look forward to our two nations’ partnership growing.
With a focus on manufacturing in Abu Dhabi and export to the Netherlands via the port of Amsterdam, the parties will coordinate their efforts to create a green hydrogen supply chain under the terms of this MoU. The exported green hydrogen will be transported via pipeline, truck, and barge to important European industries such as steelmaking, bunkering for shipping, and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Together, the parties will investigate various liquid organic hydrogen carriers and liquid hydrogen conveyance techniques.
Masdar’s Chief Executive Officer, Mohammed Jameel Al Ramahi, stated, “Masdar thinks that green hydrogen is a promising energy source for challenging industries in support of global decarbonization, which is why we started our dedicated green hydrogen business last month. We are glad to collaborate with the Port of Amsterdam, SkyNRG, Evos Amsterdam, and Zenith Energy to explore how green hydrogen might help us meet our common objectives of decarbonization and sustainable economic growth.
The fourth-largest port in Europe’s operator, the Port of Amsterdam, is dedicated to expanding its use of green hydrogen and is collaborating closely with business entities operating at the port on green hydrogen development. A network of SAF production facilities is being built by SkyNRG, a market leader in SAF, and they need green hydrogen as an input. Some of the most notable blending and storage terminals in the port are run by Zenith Energy and Evos Amsterdam, with Zenith constructing a liquid hydrogen supply chain and Evos Amsterdam focusing on a liquid organic hydrogen carrier supply chain.
Port of Amsterdam CEO Koen Overtoom stated, “We are really happy with this new relationship. We aim to import at least one million tonnes of green hydrogen yearly, and SkyNRG, Evos, and Zenith Energy are the driving forces behind the hydrogen initiatives in the port of Amsterdam. This goal will be that much closer to realization if we work together with a party like Masdar. We can realize the imagined connection between Abu Dhabi and Amsterdam if we work together.
Green power from renewable sources, such as wind or solar, is used to create green hydrogen using an electrolysis process that separates water into oxygen and hydrogen. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency, hydrogen will be a crucial part of a net-zero energy system and will be crucial in the decarbonization of sectors like heavy industries and long-distance transportation that are challenging to electrify. PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) forecasts that the global market for green hydrogen would reach US$72 billion by 2030 and that the annual demand for hydrogen will range between 150 and 500 million metric tonnes by 2050.
With a target of 100 GW of renewable energy capacity and 1 million tonnes of green hydrogen generation yearly by 2030, Masdar revealed its new shareholding structure and green hydrogen business unit in December. Several projects involving the creation of green hydrogen are actively being worked on by Masdar. Aiming for an electrolyzer capacity of 4 gigawatts by 2030 and an output of up to 480,000 tonnes of green hydrogen annually, Masdar struck agreements last year to collaborate on the development of green hydrogen production plants in Egypt.
