Dubai’s ENOC Group has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Japan’s IHI Corp. to establish a green ammonia project.
The aim, the companies said, is to establish Dubai as a sustainable hub for the green economy.
ENOC and IHI will carry out corresponding pre-feasibility and feasibility studies on green ammonia production in the UAE. This will start with studies on a demonstration plant and run into a full-scale production plant.
The plant would export fuel to Japan and also supply regional demand in the UAE, for bunkering and other purposes.
ENOC CEO Saif Humaid Al Falasi signed the agreement with IHI executive office Jun Kobayashi.
Al Falasi said ENOC was exploring “partnerships that safeguard the future for generations to come. Our collaboration with IHI Corporation demonstrates our commitment to supporting the UAE’s energy transition efforts whilst advancing Dubai’s Clean Energy Strategy 2050.”
The IHI executive said green ammonia is “one of the most practical, economical carbon-free fuel solutions with high volumetric hydrogen density and easy handling. The UAE is well positioned to produce and export green ammonia with its abundant renewable energy and robust maritime trade infrastructure, which cements its place as a critical hub for global shipping.”
The two companies working together can help achieve Japan and the UAE’s carbon reduction goals, he said.
Green hydrogen and nitrogen combined produce green ammonia.
Racking them up
With COP27 under way in Egypt, there are a slew of hydrogen – and ammonia – deals being announced. For instance, Israel’s H2Pro struck a strategic agreement with Morocco’s Gaia Energy on November 9.
This will involve the use of a 10-20 MW scale H2Pro electolyser in Morocco. There is also scope to scale this up to “gigawatt-scale”.
H2Pro offers an alternative electrolysis technology, which it says is 95% efficient – versus 60-70% from its competition. The company said its E-TAC system can provide a “safe and easily scalable design at a greatly reduced cost”.
Another project posting progress this week is Egypt Green, backed by Fertiglobe and Scatec. This has begun commissioning its first phase, with plans for a larger 100 MW scale talked about for 2023.