The photo is sourced from fuelcellsworks.com
The first of the two projects will be implemented together with the Emirates Steel, a leading Middle East steel company, and the second – with the Abu Dhabi Ports, an operator of the seaports in the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The joint project of the TAQA and the Abu Dhabi Ports involves green ammonia production from hydrogen to be produced with the use of energy from the photovoltaic panels with 2 GW total capacity. The Haber-Bosch process will serve as the production basis because it allows ammonia synthesis from nitrogen and hydrogen at high pressure (200 to 400 atmospheres), and the temperature of 400 to 650 degrees Celsius. Ammonia (NH3), primarily known as one of the most popular mineral fertilisers, may become widespread as a hydrogen transporter in the coming years. While H2 in a liquid form is stored at minus 253 degrees Celsius, NH3 needs only cooling to minus 33 degrees. Ammonia can also be used as fuel: for example, Australia’s Aviation H2 plans to fly its first ammonia-powered aircraft in 2023.
The second of the announced projects will allow the use of hydrogen for production of environmentally friendly and low-carbon steel, which is supposed to become in a high demand in the EU where the mechanism of cross-border carbon regulation (CBAM) will soon begin to operate; steel, along with cast iron, aluminum and some other goods, will already fall under its action in 2023.
Both projects fit into the TAQA strategy of development of the new and renewable power industry. The company plans to enlarge the portfolio of its own electric power assets from the current 18 GW to 30 GW, as well as to increase the share of ‘clean’ generation from the current 5 percent to 30 percent. The initiatives already implemented include the 1.2 GW Noor Abu Dhabi PV power plant supplying electricity to 90,000 households and saving one million tons of CO2 emissions per year. At the same time, the TAQA is building another solar power plant – Al Dhafra, which will almost double the capacity of Noor Abu Dhabi and be able to provide 160,000 households.
