MUSCAT: Oman has brought together 13 public and private-sector institutions to create a national hydrogen alliance as it seeks to develop a supply chain for the green fuel.

Government agencies, oil and gas operators, educational and research institutions, as well as ports will work together on the local production, transportation, utilization and export of clean hydrogen, the state Oman News Agency reported.

Gulf Arab countries are well positioned for the growing demand for clean hydrogen due to their climate, location, and experience developing large energy supply chains.

The alliance will attract investment and develop technology, policies and expertise throughout the entire hydrogen supply chain under the leadership of the Ministry of Energy and Minerals through the Future Energies Unit of Petroleum Development Oman.

Other members of the alliance include the Public Services Regulatory Authority, Energy Development Oman, Okio Group, Oman Liquefied Natural Gas Company, BP Oman, Shell Oman, Total Energy Oman, Sultan Qaboos University, German University of Technology, Sohar Port and Duqm Port.

In May, Oman announced a plan to build the biggest green hydrogen plant in the world over the coming 27 years along with 25 GW of solar and wind power.

Yesterday, Saudi Arabia said it had signed an agreement with Germany to explore opportunities in clean hydrogen, while earlier in the week Aramco said it is looking for off-take agreements for blue hydrogen in its key markets including Japan and South Korea.

Blue hydrogen uses the traditional Haber-Bosch method of turning natural gas into hydrogen but captures the carbon emissions, while green hydrogen is created by splitting water with renewable energy.

Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (TAQA) has “all the right ingredients” to develop green hydrogen, including cost-efficient renewable power and water, CEO Jasim Husain Thabet told Arab News this week.