ADNOC signed an agreement with Strata and John Cockerill to produce hydrogen cells

ADNOC has signed an agreement with Strata and industrial machinery manufacturer John Cockerill to produce electrolytic cells in the UAE for local use and export. The deal is expected to help the UAE develop a green hydrogen economy through the local manufacturing of electrolytic cells, according to the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology. Green hydrogen production involves hydrolysis, in which an electrolytic cell uses electricity to separate water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen. The process captures and stores hydrogen, which can then be used as a fuel source. Accelerating the development of future industries is one of the main objectives of the National Industry and Advanced Technology Strategy, said Omar Al Suwaidi, Deputy Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology. 

The Ministry is therefore committed to ensuring that the national industrial sector benefits from innovative solutions and advanced technologies that support future industrial expansion. Facilitating cooperation between leading national companies and international and local manufacturers is key to these efforts. Natixis, a French investment bank, estimates that investments in hydrogen energy will exceed $300 billion by 2030.

The UAE is bullish on hydrogen energy and has been developing a comprehensive road map to position itself as an exporter of the clean fuel and tap its future potential. The UAE will invest $163 billion in clean and renewable energy projects over the next three decades, with the goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050. 

Hanan Balalaa, senior vice president of New Energy and Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage at ADNOC, said hydrogen is a key fuel in the energy transition, and the agreement highlights how the energy sector can work with industry and sectors that struggle to reduce emissions to achieve large-scale decarbonization, drive low-carbon economic growth and enhance energy security.

ADNOC will continue to advance low-carbon solutions and decarbonization technologies to strengthen our position as a responsible energy provider and support the UAE's net-zero strategic plan to 2050. The agreement will also support the UAE's efforts to localize manufacturing.

In 2021, the UAE launched its 300 Billion Industrial Strategy to position itself as a global industrial hub by 2031. The focus of the 10-year comprehensive roadmap is to increase the contribution of the industrial sector to GDP from Dh133 billion in 2021 to DH300 billion in 2031.

Strata's expertise in advanced Manufacturing will play a key role in establishing the UAE as a global leader in hydrogen energy, said Ismail Ali Abdulla, Managing director and CEO of Strata Manufacturing. This cooperation is in line with our strategic vision to drive innovation and economic growth in the UAE. 

Mubadala was set up in Ain more than a decade ago with the aim of positioning the UAE in the global aerospace supply chain. In addition to Pilatus, Strata has signed multi-billion dollar contracts with Italy's Boeing, Airbus and Leonardo.

According to a recent report by the International Energy Agency, a proliferation of new manufacturing projects in key technologies such as solar photovoltaic, cells and electrolytic cells is driving momentum for a global clean energy transition. The growth is being driven by policy support and increased investor interest, the IEA said in its state of clean tech manufacturing report this month. The agency said that since the end of last year, the estimated production of renewable energy technologies to 2030 had risen, with a 60 per cent increase in solar photovoltaic, a 25 per cent increase in batteries and a 20 per cent increase in electrolytic cells.