Another UAE-Europe low-carbon hydrogen pipeline is moving forward: German oil and gas company Hydrogenious LOHC Technologies (LOHC) is nearing completion on the pre-project planning phase of its UAE-Europe hydrogen supply chain agreement with the UAE’s Adnoc, Tokyo-based electric power generation company Jera Americas, and German energy firm Uniper, Zawya reported last Thursday. The consortium remains neutral on the type of hydrogen it is looking to generate in the UAE, LOHC’s Managing Director of the Emirates’ hydrogen division Rafael Schmidt told the news outlet. Both blue and green hydrogen are promising energy sources, he added, and indicated that renewables and fossil fuels were both potential energy sources to power the project. Financial details and a timeline for operational launch were not disclosed.

The details: LOHC, Adnoc, Jera and Uniper signed a joint study agreement back in March to launch feasibility studies for setting up a hydrogen supply chain to enable the transport of some 24 tons of green hydrogen on a daily basis from the Emirates to Germany using Uniper’s green hydrogen carrier assets. The consortium is currently in the “final stage” of completing the front-end and engineering design (FEED) phase of the project, which follows the completion of conceptual design studies to determine the feasibility of the project and a rough investment ticket for the venture.

The type of hydrogen will be dependent on market demands: “We are closely monitoring the development of certification in Europe and beyond and trying to match the project set-up to the certification scheme and the demand from different countries. The definition of the color of hydrogen or its characteristics will depend on the receiving countries,” Schmidt told Zaywa, noting the consortium is in talks with the UAE’s government and private-sector investors to determine the feasibility of clean hydrogen production. The consortium may tap into Germany's EUR 900 mn H2Global green hydrogen subsidy scheme to secure capital for the project, according to Schmidt.

There’s more to come if all goes well: The pre-project study will serve as an extended feasibility study for the consortium’s plans to have another 500 ton UAE-Germany pipeline up and running by 2030, Schmidt told Zawya, noting the recent study showed the 500 ton project would require renewables deployments nearing 500 MW.

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