Renewables developer Masdar and Emirates Steel Arkan have joined forces to implement a pilot green hydrogen project. The initiative is set to play a crucial role in the decarbonization of steel manufacturing in the United Arab Emirates.
The demonstration facility, currently under construction at the Emirates Steel Arkan production facilities in the Industrial City of Abu Dhabi, is making significant progress with the installation of electrolysers already underway. Masdar announced that the commissioning of the facility is scheduled for early 2024.
The primary objective of this groundbreaking project is to utilize green hydrogen produced on-site to replace natural gas in the iron extraction process from iron ore, an integral part of the steelmaking process. Emirates Steel Arkan's Chief Executive, Saeed Ghumran Al Remeithi, expressed the significance of the initiative, stating, “As the first steel company in the MENA region and among the pioneers worldwide to adopt green hydrogen for sustainable steel production, this project represents a major milestone in our commitment to realize our company's sustainability objectives.”
Emirates Steel Arkan, a prominent steel and building materials manufacturer based in Abu Dhabi, aims to achieve a 40% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030 and ultimately attain net-zero emissions by 2050. The company has already been implementing measures such as the use of clean electricity, carbon capture, and the incorporation of scrap metals to effectively reduce both its emissions and emissions intensity.
This collaboration signifies a significant step forward in the UAE's efforts to integrate clean and sustainable practices into its industrial sector, marking a substantial milestone in the global transition towards greener and more environmentally responsible steel production.
