UAE, Netherlands sign MoU on hydrogen energy

The MoU was signed by Suhail bin Mohammed Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, and the Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, Liesje Schreinemacher, at the Netherlands Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai.

As part of their Joint Economic Committee, the UAE and the Netherlands have been in structured dialogue to identify common interests and create a partnership for decarbonisation of the energy sector and increasing the use of clean hydrogen.

The ministers noted the importance of clean hydrogen, in particular green hydrogen from renewable sources to contribute to the countries’ emission reduction policy. They recognised the benefits of working together in setting up export-import corridors for clean hydrogen between the UAE and the Netherlands as a gateway to Europe.

Al Mazrouei praised UAE-Netherlands bilateral relations, which have witnessed great progress over the past few years, thanks to the support of the wise leadership of the two countries, mutual trust, respect and common interests. He stressed that this MoU is an extension of the historical partnership between the UAE and the Netherlands, and that their close partnership in the energy sector represents a major pillar of their national economies.

Al Mazrouei said, "Such partnerships contribute to catalysing the transition towards hydrogen energy, and support the two countries' orientation in formulating projects and initiatives to support the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, and contribute to opening opportunities for growth and development, diversifying the energy mix, relying on clean energy, building concrete partnerships and enhancing cooperation between the two friendly countries."

For her part, Minister Liesje Schreinemacher said, "There is increasing pressure on current ecosystems to meet the burgeoning demand for energy resources without further eroding the ecosystem. The production and use of green Hydrogen Energy as an alternative to fossil fuel has an important place for both of our countries in our aim to achieve net-zero emissions. I very much welcome being here today to sign this important agreement in an effort to achieve our common goals for the future of our planet."

The UAE has committed to net-zero emissions by 2050. The production of hydrogen supports the UAE’s diversification plans and enables the production of more low-carbon export products to maintain its economic position. This shift to green energy could significantly help in achieving the climate goals as stipulated in the Paris Climate Agreement.