MEE 2021: Green hydrogen offers viable alternative
Head of Dii Desert Energy says growth of large-scale low cost renewables makes green hydrogen a viable proposition across the Mena region
Green hydrogen production in the Middle East is now an economically viable business proposition due to the growing renewable energy sectors in key markets such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Oman and Morocco according to Cornelius Matthes, chief executive of industry group Dii Desert Energy.
Speaking at the Middle East Energy Online 2021 conference Mr Matthes said that a large percentage of renewable energy in the region was now costing less than €0.01 per kilowatt hour, and with energy production accounting for about 70 per cent of green hydrogen production, the fuel will be far cheaper than conventional energy options.
“Climate change is a big challenge and green hydrogen would accelerate the energy transition process,” Mr Matthes said during a panel discussion. “There are some sectors such as fertilizer and steel [production] as well as refineries that can’t be electrified.”
Green hydrogen is produced by the electrolysis of water using renewable energy which reverts it back to its component elements of hydrogen and oxygen.
Mr Matthes called on governments throughout the Middle East to embrace green hydrogen production, calling it a “great low-hanging fruit” in terms of its ability to drastically reduce carbon emissions across many sectors without any requirement to drastically change the current infrastructure.
Middle East Energy Online 2021 is being held over a four week period in late May and early June 2021.
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