Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company PJSC – Masdar, the UAE’s clean energy powerhouse, has signed an agreement with TotalEnergies to assess the viability of developing a commercial green hydrogen to methanol to Sustainable Aviation Fuel project. This initiative aims to decarbonise hard-to-abate, emission-intensive sectors such as aviation and maritime industries.
The project will utilise CO2 captured from an industrial source as a feedstock, combined with green hydrogen produced through renewable energy-powered electrolysis, to produce green methanol and SAF. This agreement follows a successful test flight conducted by the two companies during COP28 in December 2023, demonstrating the potential for converting methanol to SAF.
Masdar’s Green Hydrogen business has made aviation a key focus, forging several strategic partnerships over the past three years to support the development and growth of the SAF sector. The UAE’s General Policy for Sustainable Aviation Fuel has set a voluntary target of supplying 1 percent of fuel to national airlines at UAE airports using locally produced SAF by 2031. It also aims to develop a national regulatory framework for SAF, 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. This constitutes a significant milestone towards ensuring economic growth, sustainability, and energy security, marking 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 100GW by 2030 and to become a leading producer of green hydrogen by the same year.
For more information visit www.masdar.ae
