Dubai-based renewable energy major Masdar announced on January 19 that TotalEnergies is adding its expertise in the energy sector to a Masdar-led initiative focused on green hydrogen to produce sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
Senior executives from Masdar, Siemens Energy and TotalEnergies signed a collaboration agreement on the sidelines of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) 2022, to act as co-developers for a demonstrator plant project, which will be established at Masdar City, Abu Dhabi’s flagship sustainable urban development.
The agreement was signed by TotalEnergies Senior Vice President, Refining and Petrochemicals Africa Middle East and Asia Francois Good, Siemens Energy Managing Director Middle East and UAE Dietmar Siersdorfer and Masdar CEO Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi.
“We are very pleased to partner with Masdar and Siemens Energy to meet the challenge of decarbonizing air transport through sustainable aviation fuel from green hydrogen,” Good said. “In this project, TotalEnergies brings its expertise in renewables energy as well as SAF manufacturing and marketing advanced sustainable fuel production with the aim of acting directly on the carbon intensity of the energy products used by our customers. This is in-line with our strategy of building a multi-energy company with the ambition to get to net zero by 2050 together with society,” he added.
Siersdorfer noted that green hydrogen has a vital role to play in the decarbonization of many industries, with the aviation sector presenting an excellent opportunity. “With deep expertise in electrolyzers and plant integration we understand that collaboration is vital to success. We’re excited to have a longstanding and strong partner such as TotalEnergies bring its expertise to help accelerate this landmark project,” he said.
For his part, Al Ramahi said the signing and the participation of TotalEnergies as a co-developer represents a significant step forward for this exciting project. “The demonstrator plant will help to establish the commercial viability of green hydrogen as an essential decarbonized fuel of the future, and will support Abu Dhabi’s development as a green hydrogen hub. While the hydrogen market is still at a comparatively early stage, we firmly believe that by working together with international partners on projects such as this, we can help the hydrogen market develop its full potential and it will really take off in the years to come,” he said.
Masdar announced ahead of ADSW 2021 last year that it was collaborating with Abu Dhabi Department of Energy, Etihad Airways, Lufthansa Group, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Siemens Energy, and Marubeni Corporation on the demonstrator plant initiative. Having joined the initiative, the aim now is that TotalEnergies will offer its expertise in SAF production, offtake and supply the partner airlines.
