UAE government team to visit Germany for talks on hydrogen

Germany and the United Arab Emirates will hold further talks on hydrogen and clean energy this week as the European country seeks long-term solutions to wean itself off Russian gas in the wake of Moscow’s attack on Ukraine.

A UAE delegation of government officials and representatives of Abu Dhabi-based energy firms Adnoc and Masdar will travel to Germany on Tuesday, state news agency WAM reported.

“The visit aims to establish sustainable cooperation mechanisms between the two countries,” Sharif Al Olama, the undersecretary of the UAE’s energy ministry, said.

The UAE aims to be one of the world’s leading suppliers of hydrogen, though it’s unlikely to be able to export significant volumes before the end of this decade. The OPEC member is investing in the production of blue hydrogen, which is made from natural gas in a process that captures carbon emissions instead of allowing them to be released into the atmosphere.

German and Emirati companies signed memorandums of understanding in March for shipments from the Gulf state of blue hydrogen in the form of ammonia. They said the first shipment might happen this year.

Germany is heavily dependent on Russian gas for its energy supplies. Moscow slashed supplies this month, dealing a blow to Germany and other European economies.