Panel

  • Jonathan Carpenter, Vice President - New Energy Services at Petrofac
  • Sally Prickett, VP - Hydrogen Market Development at British Petroleum
  • Uwe Weichenhain, Partner at Roland Berger
  • Dr Faye Al Hersh, Technology Specialist, Strategy, Masdar

Key Insights

  • Scalable hydrogen transportation technologies should not be overlooked in markets that are keen to produce hydrogen and export the sustainable fuel of the future
  • Most of the panelists agreed that ammonia as a hydrogen carrier offers the most potential as a viable means of transportation hydrogen but added that it does not come without risks
  • The speakers also raised the challenge of clean water demand, as water is a key stock for hydrogen electrolysis
  • In the UAE and wider region, renewable energy-powered water desalination will be key to meet the water quantity demand and water purity required by hydrogen electrolysers

Key Quotes

Jonathan Carpenter, Vice President, New Energy Services, Petrofac 

  • “The challenge with hydrogen is on balancing supply and demand, and to create a market for hydrogen so that we can start producing at scale.”
  • “We see huge potential in the Middle East. It has the natural resources, technological capabilities and infrastructure that matches the experience of exporting molecules.”
  • “Don’t underestimate that we already have many of the pieces in place from the oil and gas sector. We just need to transfer those skills to support the transition towards green energy and a hydrogen-based economy.”
  • “Our expectation for green hydrogen transportation is that ammonia will be the predominant route in the short to medium term.”

Sally Prickett, VP - Hydrogen Market Development, British Petroleum

  • “Its not just about the distribution of molecules but the full value chain. WE have to work together to coordinate on supply, distribution, storage and end-use applications to build this infrastructure to create a hydrogen economy.”
  • “Water is not an area that is getting enough attention from us as an industry. As we move forward and work together to create the right solutions, water is going to become an issue that we all need to think about.”
  • “Consistency and regulation on safety standards are key, so we can develop a framework of expectations.”
  • “When we talk about the international movement of molecules, the carbon footprint certification of each hydrogen molecule is important.” 

Dr Faye Al Hersh, Technology Specialist, Strategy, Masdar 

  • “If we were to focus on the UAE specifically or the Middle East, ultimately we will depend on water desalination to satisfy the quantity and purity of water required by the electrolysers.”
  • “Reverse water osmosis presents an efficient way to produce that water, especially if that process is powered by renewable energy.”
  • “Currently there are two main components that affect green hydrogen production – that is the cost of electricity and electrolyers.”
  • “It is clear that coordinated global efforts between different governments and industries are needed. A single country or industry cannot achieve this alone.”
  • “The UAE can capitalize on our existing infrastructure and leverage our renewable energy and petrochemical expertise to build hydrogen hubs to become leaders in hydrogen production and export.” 

Uwe Weichenhain, Partner, Roland Berger

  • “I firmly believe that hydrogen transportation is key to unlocking the export potential for the GCC region.”
  • “If we look at the investment landscape today, there is a focus on upstream technology and applications, but the hydrogen transportation space is overlooked.”
  • “We will make the most progress when we focus on specific projects and technological solutions on the basis of real opportunities.”
  • “Today we are at the demonstration stage, mostly local offtake and hydrogen value concept. The next important development stage is to develop integrated supply chains because we don’t have a liquid market yet.”
  • “Ammonia is a prime solution only when you address ammonia markets or use it as an alternative fuel directly, but there are safety concerns that will deter its use.”

-Ends-

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