OSLO: Norway on Friday granted 1 billion Norwegian crowns ($111 million) in support for three projects to produce emissions-free hydrogen and ammonia, aiding a transition to a low-carbon economy, the government said.
The funding will be allocated to projects led by Yara , Tizir Titanium & Iron (TTI) and Horisont Energi , government agency Enova said in a statement.
“Hydrogen is now on everyone’s lips in Europe as one of the solutions to reach our climate goals. So Norway as an energy nation needs to be there,” Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere told a news conference.
Yara said in a separate statement it would receive 283 million crowns for a pilot project to produce emissions-free hydrogen and ammonia at its fertilizer factory at Heroeya in Norway.
A project by Horisont Energi to produce emissions-free ammonia, with carbon dioxide emissions captured and stored under the seabed in the Barents Sea, will receive 482 million crowns, the company said.
Norway’s Equinor and Eni’s Norwegian subsidiary Vaar Energi are partners in the Horisont Energi project, called Barents Blue.
TTI’s project, which will receive 261 million crowns, aims to replace coal with hydrogen at its smelter in Tyssedal, which produces titanium slag and high-purity iron, Enova said.
TTI is fully owned by France’s Erament Group.
Enova has a mandate to support new technology which could help to transition Norway, western Europe’s largest oil and gas producer, to a low-emission society by 2050.
Today, most of the hydrogen in the world is produced from natural gas, while associated carbon dioxide (CO2) is released into the atmosphere.
Clean hydrogen could be produced by splitting water molecules with the help of renewable energy, or by capturing and storing associated CO2.
Norway is a major producer of both renewable power and natural gas.
Norway grants $111m to clean hydrogen, ammonia projects
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Norway grants $111m to clean hydrogen, ammonia projects
Gulf-EU value chain integration signals shift toward long-term economic partnership: GCC secretary general
RIYADH: Value chains between the Gulf and Europe are poised to become deeper and more resilient as economic ties shift beyond traditional trade toward long-term industrial and investment integration, according to the secretary general of the Gulf Cooperation Council.
Speaking on the sidelines of the World Governments Summit 2026 in Dubai, Jasem Al-Budaiwi said Gulf-European economic relations are shifting from simple commodity trade toward the joint development of sustainable value chains, reflecting a more strategic and lasting partnership.
His remarks were made during a dialogue session titled “The next investment and trade race,” held with Luigi Di Maio, the EU’s special representative for external affairs.
Al-Budaiwi said relations between the GCC and the EU are among the bloc’s most established partnerships, built on decades of institutional collaboration that began with the signing of the 1988 cooperation agreement.
He noted that the deal laid a solid foundation for political and economic dialogue and opened broad avenues for collaboration in trade, investment, and energy, as well as development and education.
The secretary general added that the partnership has undergone a qualitative shift in recent years, particularly following the adoption of the joint action program for the 2022–2027 period and the convening of the Gulf–European summit in Brussels.
Subsequent ministerial meetings, he said, have focused on implementing agreed outcomes, enhancing trade and investment cooperation, improving market access, and supporting supply chains and sustainable development.
According to Al-Budaiwi, merchandise trade between the two sides has reached around $197 billion, positioning the EU as one of the GCC’s most important trading partners.
He also pointed to the continued growth of European foreign direct investment into Gulf countries, which he said reflects the depth of economic interdependence and rising confidence in the Gulf business environment.
Looking ahead, Al-Budaiwi emphasized that the economic transformation across GCC states, driven by ambitious national visions, is creating broad opportunities for expanded cooperation with Europe.
He highlighted clean energy, green hydrogen, and digital transformation, as well as artificial intelligence, smart infrastructure, and cybersecurity, as priority areas for future partnership.
He added that the success of Gulf-European cooperation should not be measured solely by trade volumes or investment flows, but by its ability to evolve into an integrated model based on trust, risk-sharing, and the joint creation of economic value, contributing to stability and growth in the global economy.
GCC–EU plans to build shared value chains look well-timed as trade policy volatility rises.
In recent weeks, Washington’s renewed push over Greenland has been tied to tariff threats against European countries, prompting the EU to keep a €93 billion ($109.7 billion) retaliation package on standby.
At the same time, tighter US sanctions on Iran are increasing compliance risks for energy and shipping-related finance. Meanwhile, the World Trade Organization and UNCTAD warn that higher tariffs and ongoing uncertainty could weaken trade and investment across both regions in 2026.
