During a visit to Germany, spearheaded by His Excellency Eng Salim bin Nasser al Aufi, Minister of Energy and Minerals of Oman, significant strides were made towards establishing a robust Omani-German green hydrogen and ammonia supply chain.
This collaborative effort was marked by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Hydrogen Oman (Hydrom) and VNG, a leading German gas infrastructure conglomerate, aimed at exploring the commercial feasibility of this ambitious venture.
The delegation’s engagement in Leipzig with VNG’s CEO, Ulf Heitmüller, and other key German stakeholders highlighted the mutual interest in green hydrogen’s potential to decarbonize industries. The discussions, enriched by the presence of Maitha Al Mahrouqi, Oman’s Ambassador to Germany, and Michael Kretschmer, Prime Minister of Saxony, focused on the technical and commercial prerequisites for scaling up the hydrogen market within Germany and Europe at large. Emphasis was placed on the unique position Oman holds, with its vast potential for green hydrogen production, to significantly contribute to Germany’s energy security through exports.
“Looking into the future, Oman with its great potential and ambitions for the production of green hydrogen is of particular interest, especially in relation to the decarbonization of the industrial sector. The mutual exchange of views and experience is therefore very valuable to us. We at VNG are in the midst of a corporate transformation with which we are actively shaping the energy transition in our region from natural gas to green gases such as hydrogen and biogas. Such an ambitious project requires international cooperation. In the short to medium term, Germany will not be able to meet its hydrogen requirements through domestic production alone but will also be dependent on imports. Oman can play a significant role here, making an important contribution to the security of supply in our region. We look forward to intensifying talks on cooperation with our Omani partners”, said Heitmüller.
“Germany has been a long-standing partner of Oman across multiple sectors and in various roles. As our nations transition towards a net zero future, the collaboration between the two nations should only strengthen. Oman is blessed with both conventional and renewable energy resources, a highly motivated and educated human resource, world-class infrastructure, and well-suited geography to address Western and Eastern clean energy demands. Oman aims to be a leader in the production of low-carbon and green molecules with a vibrant and attractive hub that attracts developers, technology providers, supply chain and downstream manufacturers in a mutually beneficial arrangement with our partners”, mentioned his excellency Salim Al Aufi, Oman’s Minister of Energy and Minerals.
This visit not only fostered dialogues about the transformation towards green gases such as hydrogen and biogas but also solidified the foundation for future cooperation in green energy transition. The Omani delegation’s tour included a stop at the Bad Lauchstädt Energy Park, where they were introduced to a flagship project demonstrating the green hydrogen value chain on an industrial scale. This project is a testament to the collaborative spirit and shared vision of both nations towards a sustainable energy future, marking a new chapter in the Omani-German partnership focused on innovation, mutual growth, and the decarbonization of the industrial sector.
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