Participants at a recent ‘Future Energy Summit’ in Abu Dhabi discussed the problem of integrating variable renewable energy into electricity grids. Despite the significant challenges, an upbeat mood pervaded the conference. As one panelist, Mahmoud Hanafy, Senior Vice President at Siemens, put it, “The Middle East is a blessed region for energy.” All seemed to agree, and they weren’t thinking about oil and gas. That the energy transition is good news for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), that renewables could become a new source of export income, growing even as income from hydrocarbons declines, was an important insight that emerged. Indeed, pilot projects now being launched thousands of miles away in the Pacific, and planning in Europe, could hold great significance for MENA. They concern the so-called ‘green hydrogen’ produced from renewable energy. Getting started with hydrogen It is widely agreed that a post-carbon future will be […]