Insights and Commentaries

Insights and Commentaries

2024 Middle East and Africa Member Meeting Recap 

2nd December 2024

On Thursday 7 November, the Global CCS Institute hosted its 2024 Middle East and Africa (MEA) Member Meeting in Abu Dhabi, gathering energy leaders, policymakers and industry stakeholders from across the region to discuss the current status and outlook for CCS.  

Held on the sidelines of the 2024 ADIPEC conference, the meeting offered a platform for attendees to connect with one another, learn more about the latest updates in the CCS space, and discuss emerging trends in carbon markets and low-carbon hydrogen developments that could help drive the deployment of the technology.  

CCS Progress in MEA  

To set the scene for discussions, the Institute’s Board Member, Kamel Ben Naceur, provided insightful opening remarks highlighting key milestones that have contributed to CCS momentum while also pointing to the crucial work that the Institute has conducted to accelerate CCS deployment. These initiatives include establishing key channels for collaboration among public and private sector stakeholders, supporting the development of CCS guidelines in select countries, and facilitating broad discussions around the role and potential of CCS as a crucial climate mitigation solution.   

Further illustrating CCS promise was Dr. Abdulla Malek, Director of Energy Transition at COP 28 Presidency, who delivered keynote remarks and shared insights on progress and opportunities in the field of carbon management emerging in UAE. With COP 28 held in the UAE last year, the country showcased its commitment to advancing the global energy transition, underscoring the potential offered by technologies like CCS in supporting the country’s decarbonisation pathway. This commitment was further substantiated in August 2024 when the UAE passed legislation citing CCUS as one of the climate change mitigation tools able to contribute to UAE’s decarbonization efforts. This law will come into effect in May 2025 as part of the Federal Decree-Law No. (11) 2024 on the Reduction of Climate Change Effects. 

Every year, global CCS deployment continues to grow, and 2024 was no exception. Providing a snapshot of CCS development was the Institute’s Head of MEA region, Dr. Mohammad Abu Zahra, who skillfully walked attendees through the findings of the flagship Global Status of CCS 2024 report. The report, which was published on October 15, illustrates a significant growth in the CCS facilities pipeline, with 628 projects in various stages of development globally and a cumulative capture capacity of over 416 Mtpa. With 3 projects in operation, 6 in construction, and many others at different stages of development in the region, the momentum around CCS continues to reach new heights in MEA. 

CCS policy developments are also advancing quickly, with countries rapidly integrating CCS into their decarbonisation strategies and outlining ambitious targets. Forms of collaboration are also emerging in the field of carbon markets, technology development, and various cross-border initiatives and projects, subsequently contributing to the advancement of CCS deployment.  

Stakeholder Insights: Collaboration and Project Development 

CCS in the UK 

A crucial element in supporting the deployment of CCS is knowledge sharing. As climate change represents a global challenge to be addressed by all regions around the world, Alex Milward, Director of Carbon Capture and Storage at the UK’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), presented the approach that the UK is taking to create an enabling environment for CCS and position itself as a front-runner in the industry. The UK’s CCS actions and ambitions include the scale-up of hubs and clusters to decarbonize the country’s industrial hubs – a commitment backed by government funding. 

Policy and Infrastructure Development in MEA 

Concurrently, hubs and cross-border initiatives are also taking off in the MEA region, and this notable rise was further unpacked during a panel discussion at the Institute’s MEA Member Meeting. Moderated by Professor Niall Mac Dowell, Global Head of Carbon Management Technology at Barclays, panel speakers assessed the infrastructure needs required to get more CCS projects off the ground, as well as the collaborative initiatives that could help advance CCS projects in the region. Efforts on this front are already underway. Oman is steadily devising supportive CCS guidelines and policy measures, and the UAE has notably embarked on project development. Bahrain has committed to reaching net-zero by 2060, with CCS expected to be part of the country’s climate action fold. Sharing their insights and details on CCS strategies were distinguished speakers and CCS experts, including Hernan Silva, Vice President, Carbon Capture Utilization & Storage  at ADNOC;  Dr. Hassan Al-Mulla, Vice President, New Energies Value Chainat Bapco Energies; Dr. Nabil Al Bulushi, CCUS Manager at Petroleum Development Oman (PDO); Ahmed Sabry, Global Asset Consulting - Central Operations Manager at SLB; along with  Alex Milward, Director, Carbon Capture Utilisation & Storage at the UK’s DESNZ. 

Workshop Insights: Carbon Markets, Blue Hydrogen, and Growing CCS Trends 

The MEA Member Meeting featured two CCS-related workshops, which enabled interactive discussions among the participants around the topic of carbon markets and low-carbon hydrogen, respectively. These sessions were curated and facilitated by external experts alongside representatives of the Global CCS Institute. 

Low-carbon Hydrogen  

Facilitated by the Special Advisor to the Minister, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in Japan, Mr. Hiroshi Hasegawa, alongside the Institute’s MEA Business Development Lead, Maryem El Farsaoui, the Institute’s workshop on low-carbon hydrogen brought together industry and policy experts to explore the challenges and opportunities to advance clean hydrogen production and trade.  

Participants highlighted the critical need to move beyond the dated discussion around hydrogen colours and intensities, to focus on emissions reductions, and to move to tangible, large-scale clean hydrogen developments that can meaningfully contribute to the global net-zero goals.  

During the session, Mr. Hasegawa outlined Japan’s ambitious net-zero target and decarbonisation strategy, highlighting CCS and low-carbon hydrogen’s role in addressing emissions from hard-to-abate sectors, including power generation, steel, and cement. The session also assessed the MEA region’s competitive advantage in producing low-cost, low-carbon hydrogen at scale, largely due to its abundant, low-cost natural gas resources, world-class infrastructure, and ambitious hydrogen strategies.  

Participants examined key topics such as the readiness of regional infrastructure for hydrogen production, transportation, and distribution, the role of ammonia in hydrogen trade, and advancements in transport technologies. The importance of robust certification standards to ensure market confidence, identifying gaps in current guidelines and progress toward harmonisation was also raised by participants.  

The dialogue underscored the need for clear regulatory frameworks, infrastructure investment, and international cooperation to scale up hydrogen as a cornerstone of global decarbonisation strategies. 

Carbon Markets in MEA 

Held in parallel, the workshop on CCS Policy and Carbon Markets, facilitated by the Director of Climate Action and Regulations at the Global Carbon Council (GCC), Subhendu Biswas, alongside the Institute’s EMEA Public Affairs Lead, Daniela Peta, assessed the opportunities offered by carbon markets to accelerate regional investments in climate technologies, like CCS. Mr Biswas provided an overview of the scope of the methodology that the GCC has recently developed for CCS projects, highlighting the key differentiating features from other methodologies currently available. 

The facilitators identified key challenges currently hindering carbon market participation and expansion, which were further discussed in conversation during the workshop. Participants assessed how regulatory frameworks can enable the development of carbon markets, as well as the importance of CO2 storage durability and other criteria, like additionality, to boost confidence in the integrity of carbon markets. Participants also discussed potential issues related to the transfer of liability in the field of CO2 storage from the operator to the state, as well as how carbon prices could potentially drive the development of CCS projects forward. 

Conclusion 

The scale-up of carbon capture and storage in the MEA region will continue to require the participation of policymakers, industry leaders, researchers, and other key stakeholders to support knowledge exchange and address gaps and opportunities, ranging from project development to establishing regulatory mechanisms. The MEA Member Meeting, which was inclusive of not just discussions and workshops but also a site visit to the Al Reyadah CCS facility kindly organised by ADNOC, further highlighted the tangible actions taking place on the ground and the common theme of collaboration that are steering CCS projects forward. The Institute saw over 70 participants take part in 2024 MEA Member Meeting. We look forward to organising further convenings to build on the CCS and climate action conversations initiated so far. 

2024 MEA Member Meeting Presentation - PDF

 

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