Masdar, Total Energies to develop commercial green hydrogen to methanol to SAF project in Abu Dhabi, UAE

Photo: Masdar

United Arab Emirates-based Abu Dhabi Future Energy Co. (Masdar) announced Aug. 1 that it has signed an agreement with Total Energies to assess the viability of developing a commercial green hydrogen to methanol to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) project.

The focus of the project is to help decarbonize hard-to-abate, emission-intensive sectors such as the aviation and maritime industries.

The project will also capture and utilize CO2 from an industrial source to be used as a feedstock, in addition to green hydrogen from renewable energy-powered electrolysis, for the production of green methanol and SAF.

This new agreement follows a successful test flight conducted by the two companies during COP28 in December that demonstrated the potential for converting methanol to SAF.

Aviation is a key focus for Masdar’s green-hydrogen business, and over the past three years the company has forged a number of strategic partnerships designed to support the development and growth of the SAF sector.

The UAE’s General Policy for Sustainable Aviation Fuel set a voluntary target of providing 1 percent of fuel supplied to national airlines at UAE airports using locally produced SAF by 2031 and seeks to develop a national regulatory framework for SAF by exploring potential policies to support the long-term economic operation of SAF facilities in the UAE.

The agreement aligns with Abu Dhabi’s Low Carbon Hydrogen Policy, which is expected to significantly contribute to promoting low-carbon hydrogen as a future energy source, constituting a significant milestone towards ensuring economic growth, sustainability and energy security and a strategic step towards a sustainable future.

The Low Carbon Hydrogen Policy complements the UAE National Hydrogen Strategy, which seeks to establish the UAE as a leading global producer of low-carbon hydrogen by 2031.

Since its establishment in 2006, Masdar has been a key enabler of the UAE’s vision as a global leader in sustainability and climate action.

The company has developed and partnered in projects in over 40 countries, with a mandate to increase its renewable energy portfolio capacity to 100 gigawatts by 2030 and to become a leading producer of green hydrogen by the same year.