Riyadh, November 20 - Neftegaz.RU. Saudi Arabia has “ambitious plans” to become the largest supplier of hydrogen in the world, said the kingdom’s Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, Arabian Business reported.
Speaking at a news briefing in Riyadh ahead of the G20 Summit, bin Salman said: “I guarantee a few months from now you will see an expose of what we will be doing in hydrogen, what will be our national ambitions and how we can still maintain the lead in this ambition.”
He added that the kingdom, which is currently the world’s biggest oil exporter “will not be challenged in its record of being the biggest exporter of hydrogen on earth”.
Bin Salman explained that the kingdom’s large natural gas reserves enable it to produce blue hydrogen referring to a form of the fuel that’s made when gas is reformed in a process that captures the carbon dioxide byproduct.
In September, the country shipped the world’s 1st cargo of blue hydrogen to Japan, which was converted into ammonia.
Also that month, US firm Air Products & Chemicals signed an accord in July with Saudi-based ACWA Power International and the kingdom’s planned futuristic city of Neom, built on the Red Sea, to develop a $5 billion hydrogen-based ammonia plant powered by renewable energy.
“We’re looking at it comprehensively. We are at the 1st stage but a very ambitious stage. We have a project in Neom, which is the largest green hydrogen on planet earth,” said bin Salman. “We are proud to see ourselves be adventurers and pioneers.”
Saudi Arabia is increasingly trying to counter its reputation for producing dirty energy.
In recent months, Aramco has highlighted the low volume of greenhouse gases emitted from pumping Saudi crude, programs to boost gas production and plans to grow carbon-absorbing mangroves.
“We are mindful of the future. We are sitting on a huge amount of hydrocarbon resources and we want to bring it to better use,” said bin Salman.
“We are mindful of the future. We are sitting on a huge amount of hydrocarbon resources and we want to bring it to better use,” said bin Salman.
To read the article in Russian.
