EMSTEEL, the UAE’s largest publicly listed steel producer, and Masdar, the nation’s premier clean energy company, have successfully launched the UAE’s first pilot project using green hydrogen to manufacture green steel. Located in Abu Dhabi, this pioneering project is the first of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Using green hydrogen instead of natural gas to extract iron from ore, the project has commenced full-scale green steel production.
The renewable hydrogen produced by the facility has received certification from Avance Labs, accredited by the International Tracking Standard Foundation and verified by Bureau Veritas, aligning with the latest ISO 19870 standards for hydrogen.
Steel production, while essential for global industries, is highly carbon-intensive, contributing 7-8% of worldwide CO2 emissions. The UAE is strategically positioned to tap into the growing demand for green steel, advancing its commitment to sustainable building materials, as promoted by the National Green Certificates Program introduced by the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure in July.
Through this partnership, EMSTEEL and Masdar highlight green hydrogen’s role in decarbonizing the steel supply chain and demonstrate the UAE’s proactive approach to energy transition and industrial decarbonization. EMSTEEL’s CEO, Eng. Saeed Ghumran Al Remeithi, emphasized their commitment, stating, “This partnership with Masdar is instrumental in advancing decarbonization within the steel industry. In 2023, EMSTEEL achieved over 80% clean energy utilization and set the precedent as the first steelmaker worldwide to capture CO2 emissions, operating with 45% less carbon intensity than the global standard.”
Masdar CEO, Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, highlighted the significance of the pilot project, adding, “Green hydrogen is essential for decarbonizing hard-to-abate sectors like steel. This pilot’s success marks a crucial step toward meaningful emissions reduction in the steel industry.”
The initiative aligns with Abu Dhabi’s Low Carbon Hydrogen Policy, promoting green hydrogen as a clean energy cornerstone for the future. This policy, alongside the UAE’s National Hydrogen Strategy, aims to establish the UAE as a top global producer of low-carbon hydrogen by 2031, fostering economic growth, sustainability, and energy security.
Since its inception in 2006, Masdar has led the UAE’s sustainability efforts, with renewable projects across 40 countries and a target to reach 100GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030. Masdar has set its sights on producing 1 million tonnes of green hydrogen annually, supporting the UAE’s net-zero ambitions and advancing the global low-carbon supply chain.