ACWA Power’s $1 billion green hydrogen deal in Indonesia and some COP28 hydrogen highlights
ACWA Power plans a $1 billion green hydrogen facility in Indonesia;
Masdar and VERBUND partner to build one of Europe’s largest green hydrogen production plants in Spain;
Germany and Italy to develop a large-scale hydrogen pipeline to Tunisia;
H2FLY wins the second edition of the Monaco Prize for Innovation in Renewable Hydrogen and Transportation.
News to watch closely…
COP28’s green hydrogen highlights…
ACWA Power signs a $1 billion deal for a green hydrogen project in Indonesia. Riyadh-based ACWA Power, signed an agreement with Indonesia to develop the Garuda Hidrogen Hijau Project, which is set to be the largest green hydrogen facility in Indonesia. The project, which will be developed in partnership with Indonesia's state electricity provider PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara and state-owned fertilizer company PT Pupuk Indonesia, will produce 150,000 tonnes of green ammonia per year. $1 billion will be invested into this project and is expected to run on 600 megawatts of solar and wind power. Commercial operations of the facility are scheduled to start in 2026.
Masdar proposes 1GW wind project and green hydrogen plant in Jordan. UAE’s renewable energy company, Masdar, plans to construct a 1-gigawatt wind farm with a battery storage component in Jordan. During the COP28 summit in Dubai, the company also signed an agreement with the Jordanian Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources to engage in a feasibility study on a green hydrogen scheme. The goal is to explore the possibility of building a production plant near the Port of Aqaba for cost-competitive green hydrogen using desalinated seawater and electricity from renewable energy sources. Masdar already operates a 200-MW solar farm in Jordan - Baynouna Solar Plant, which officially opened in February.
…Additionally Masdar and Austria’s VERBUND Green Hydrogen GmbH, agreed to launch feasibility studies to evaluate the developing large-scale electrolysis plant in central Spain. The proposed plants is designed to produce green hydrogen. According to Masdar, the plant could offset up to 1 million tonnes of carbon emissions annually. Spain is rapidly becoming one of the key actors in decarbonising hard-to-abate industries.
We were delighted to see so many of you at the Second Edition of the Monaco Hydrogen Forum!
A record 31 countries were represented at the high-level two-day gathering, through the participation of over 240 senior officials and CEO’s from across the European Union and the Nordic countries to African, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern states, amongst others. The Forum also saw the second edition of the Monaco Prize for Innovation in Renewable Hydrogen and Transportation in which nine semi-finalist companies pitched their cutting-edge solutions to a distinguished panel of international judges.
H2FLY, the Stuttgart-based developer of hydrogen-electric powertrains, and subsidiary of American eVTOL OEM Joby, won the Monaco H2 Prize. Three other companies were formally recognised: Switzerland’s SoHHytec, provider of renewable systems for onsite production of solar Fuel and Power, was awarded the Best Emerging Technology Solution. HSL Technologies (HySiLabs), a French company developing innovative systems to transport and store hydrogen, was recognised as the Solution with the Most-Disruptive Potential. Finally, H3 Dynamics, also from France, was awarded the Best Cross-Sector Applicability Solution for its distributed hydrogen electric propulsion pod technology.
See photos of the event here.
Heavy Duty
Liquid hydrogen corridor plans announced between Oman and the Netherlands. The Government of Oman and Hydrom are teaming up with the Port of Amsterdam, Zenith Energy Terminals, and GasLog to conduct a study on developing a liquid hydrogen supply chain from Oman to Europe. The agreement entails an assessment of the requirements for hydrogen liquefaction, storage, and export facility in Oman, as well as specialized vessels for transporting liquid hydrogen. The main aim is to establish a green hydrogen corridor between Oman and the Netherlands, with Zenith Energy's terminal as the destination for import, regasification, and further distribution of Oman-produced hydrogen in Europe.
Germany and Italy have signed an agreement to develop a large-scale hydrogen pipeline from Tunisia to Europe. The project's goal is to enhance the security of supply for both countries and facilitate the import of as much as 10 million tonnes of hydrogen by 2030. The plan involves repurposing existing gas pipelines, potentially via Switzerland or Austria.
Land Transportation
Extreme E joins the Monaco Hydrogen Alliance as a member, an agreement made official during the proceedings of the second edition of the Alliance’s annual gathering, the Monaco Hydrogen Forum. The partnership is key to advancing hydrogen mobility as a competitive sport, and sees the launch of the first off-road hydrogen championship - Extreme H.
Formula 1 is exploring the potential of hydrogen as a fuel source in the future. The FIA, Formula 1, and Extreme E have established a joint Hydrogen Working Group to monitor the progress of hydrogen technology in motorsport and wider mobility. The group will monitor developments in hydrogen technologies - including fuel cells and battery systems as well as race site infrastructure, transportation, charging, storage, and safety implications. The collaboration does not indicate an immediate transition to hydrogen fuel cells in Formula 1, but will explore potential of hydrogen propulsion and its benefits for the sport.
General Motors to equip heavy duty trucks with hydrogen fuel cells. American companies General Motors (GM) and Autocar Industries agreed on a joint development agreement to create a range of heavy-duty vehicles powered by GM's hydrogen fuel cells. This line-up will include cement mixers, dump trucks, road maintenance vehicles, and tractor terminals. The vehicles, expected to go into production in 2026 at Autocar's Alabama plant, will leverage GM's Hydrotec fuel cells for zero-emission operations.
What we are reading: Reuters’ detailed report on 50 hydrogen companies to watch in 2024.