Coming up: A solar-powered hydrogen plant in Dubai

The Dubai Expo 2020 Bureau and Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) on Monday signed a memorandum of understanding with Siemens that will start work on the region's first solar-driven hydrogen electrolysis facility at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in Dubai.

Reem bint Ebrahim Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation and Director-General, Dubai Expo 2020 Bureau; Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, managing director and CEO of Dewa; and Joe Kaeser, president and CEO of Siemens, signed the deal during the 6th edition of the World Government Summit.

The facility aims at testing and showcasing an integrated MW-scale plant to produce hydrogen using renewable energy from solar photovoltaic at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, store the gas and then deploy for either re-electrification, transportation or other industrial uses. Hydrogen technologies will accelerate renewable energy deployment in the region and pave the way for the transition to a sustainable and green economy in the UAE.

Dewa and Expo 2020 Dubai intend to use fuel-cell vehicles powered by the green hydrogen generated at the facility. Visitors to Expo 2020 will be able to visit the key facilities at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park. Live data of the green hydrogen electrolysis will be displayed at Expo 2020 Dubai.

"Expo 2020 Dubai will be a celebration of creativity and innovation, providing a platform for new sustainable technologies like this to be presented to a global audience of millions, and help us move towards a cleaner, greener future," said Al Hashimy.

- business@khaleejtimes.com