Potential utilization of hydrogen in the UAE's industrial sector

Climate change and resource depletion pose significant challenges to global sustainable development. In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the industrial sector contributes to over half of the total final energy consumption, resulting in substantial carbon emissions. This study addresses how hydrogen, as an energy carrier, can facilitate the integration of renewable energy in hard-to-abate industries. We explore the energy landscape by analyzing energy flow diagrams, emission trends, and the social cost of carbon in the UAE. We propose a Green-to-Green system framework that promotes sustainability and incorporates the Power-to-X (PtX) concept, with hydrogen playing a central role. Our findings indicate that decarbonizing industries solely through renewable energy encounter challenges. However, domestically adopting solar PV for green hydrogen production presents an opportunity to decarbonize hard-to-abate industries. Furthermore, we emphasize the importance of a national hydrogen strategy to advance hydrogen utilization in the industrial sector. •Decarbonizing the industrial sector using renewable energy is a challenging process.•Using hydrogen in UAE's industrial sector is investigated.•Applying Green-to-Green approach to industrial sectors is a promising solution.