Siemens Energy, in partnership with the Dubai Power and Water Authority (DEWA) and Expo Dubai 2020, recently launched the first industrial-grade solar powered green hydrogen production facility in the Middle East and North Africa. This groundbreaking green hydrogen project, located within the DEWA Outdoor Test Facility (R&D Center, Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, Dubai), is a major milestone in the advancement of the sustainable energy industry in the region.

"This significant Green Hydrogen project highlights the importance of partnerships in driving innovative clean energy solutions and addressing the existential threats posed by global climate change. As the first industrial-scale green hydrogen production facility in the Middle East and North Africa, the project marks an important milestone in the energy transition. We look forward to working with all parties to decarbonise sectors where it is difficult to reduce emissions through renewable energy alone." So says Christian Bruch, CEO of Siemens Energy.

Hydrogen production from renewable energy can kill many birds with one stone

The electricity needed to produce hydrogen for the Green Hydrogen Project will be provided by the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park. As the largest single solar park in the world, the park is expected to produce 5 GW of clean energy by 2030. With electrolytic, storage and reelectrification capabilities, the complex is designed to maximize the benefits of the pilot program. Using solar energy from the Solar Park, the project is capable of producing about 20.5 kilograms of hydrogen per hour at a peak power of 1.25 megawatts. The operation data of Green Hydrogen Electrolysis will be displayed at the Dubai Expo, which will not only be one of the most sustainable Expos in history, but also the largest ever held in the Arab world.

DEWA aims to demonstrate the storage and re-electrification of hydrogen from solar to green hydrogen through the pilot project. The system can provide a buffer for renewable energy production, both for applications requiring rapid response and for long-term storage. The plant was originally built to provide a test platform for various future hydrogen applications, including potential transportation systems and industrial uses.

At present, more than 50% of Siemens Energy's business portfolio has been decarbonized, and Siemens is committed to promoting the application of new energy technologies such as green hydrogen energy and Power-to-X (multi-dimensional energy conversion system). Hydrogen gas by gas engines, gas turbines and fuel cells for electrification again, also can be used as raw materials of chemical industry gases (such as ammonia, synthetic fuels, green chemicals, etc.), transportation fuel, the heat in the process of reducing agent of iron and steel industry, industrial, and residential heating and cooking purposes or for energy exports.

Provide carbon-free solutions for more scenarios

"Hydrogen energy is a secondary source of energy and can also be used as a transmission medium. At present, hydrogen energy is used in two main areas. First, it can speed up decarbonization in areas where carbon dioxide reduction is difficult to achieve, such as transportation systems, oil refining and steel industries. The other is that hydrogen can be used as a carrier for renewable energy where high-quality, affordable renewable energy is available and cannot be consumed locally." "Said Christian Bruch. Hydrogen technology will accelerate the integration and deployment of renewable energy in the region and pave the way for the UAE to move towards a sustainable and green economy.

Hydrogen is an efficient energy carrier. As a zero-emission fuel, hydrogen's only by-product is water when burned, a feature that makes it an ideal medium for electrification and an optimal alternative to fossil fuels in industrial processes and other applications through an industry-coupled approach. Hydrogen can be transported either in hydrogen form or in derivatives such as ammonia and methanol using existing pipeline facilities or via trailers and tankers.

In addition, hydrogen is well suited for large-scale, long-term and large-capacity storage and can provide rapid and sustained energy levels that are suitable to compensate for the intermittent output of some renewable energy sources. Hydrogen can be used as fuel for gas turbines, and its flexibility and responsiveness can balance out the volatility of some renewable energy generation.

With the low cost of solar photovoltaic and wind power generation in the region, hydrogen is expected to be a key fuel in the future energy mix and has the potential to create energy export opportunities for regions with abundant renewable energy resources. The operational lessons learned from the Green Hydrogen Project will be invaluable in the development of sustainable carbon-free solutions across a wide range of industries, which will contribute to the growth of the green economy and benefit future generations.