Green hydrogen to play major role in sustainable aviation fuel, says Boeing META President

At the 2025 Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW), experts highlighted the significant transformation in the green hydrogen sector in recent years, largely driven by large-scale projects demonstrating hydrogen's immense potential as a clean energy source. Analysis by Strategy& indicates that global demand for green hydrogen could reach 530 million tons by 2050, accounting for approximately 7% of primary energy consumption. According to EIA data, the Middle East region is actively preparing to produce over 4 million tons of electrolytic hydrogen by 2030, with a significant portion intended for export.

During ADSW 2025 (running until January 18th), officials stated to WAM that the green hydrogen sector is poised for unprecedented growth in 2025, driven by its integration across numerous industries and applications in various fields. Kuljit Ghata-Aura, President of Boeing Middle East, Turkey, and Africa (META), stated that green hydrogen produced using renewable energy will play an increasingly important role in sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) and improve their efficiency.

Ghata-Aura emphasized that the aviation industry has committed to introducing this biofuel to achieve global sustainability goals. He also added that research has successfully produced biofuels and that they have been successfully used to power aircraft operated by the national airline, Etihad Airways. He also mentioned strong partnerships with the UAE and national entities, including the Sustainable Bioenergy Research Consortium (SBRC), which consists of the Masdar Institute, Khalifa University, Etihad Airways, and other leading entities in the field.

Furthermore, Ghata-Aura reaffirmed Boeing's commitment to strengthening its relationship with the UAE and working towards significant and sustainable progress in the aviation sector. The company continues to support major airlines such as Emirates and Etihad Airways, which operate approximately 300 Boeing aircraft, highlighting its efforts to meet the needs of these airlines and support their future expansion. The President of Boeing META stated that the company is working closely with the UAE to support an innovative environment and places a high priority on sustainability by supporting initiatives that develop innovative and environmentally friendly solutions.

Hydrogen Council CEO Ivana Jemelkova stated that the green hydrogen sector is undergoing a major transformation, reflecting unprecedented global development. Investments in the sector have reached very encouraging levels, with committed capital increasing sevenfold over the past four years. She explained that the Hydrogen Council currently oversees more than 430 projects globally, indicating the sector's maturity and the progress of projects towards actual implementation. She added that the next phase will focus on building integrated ecosystems to support commercial demand for hydrogen.

Jemelkova also praised the UAE and the region's leadership in supporting global initiatives in the green hydrogen sector, noting Masdar's recent addition to the Hydrogen Council's board. Furthermore, she expressed her hope to strengthen cooperation with the UAE and the region to drive the growth of regional and global hydrogen projects. 2025 will be a pivotal year for the green hydrogen sector, with efforts focused on activating policy and regulatory frameworks and driving project implementation momentum on the ground. She emphasized that leading markets will play a key role in accelerating the pace of growth.

Masdar is increasing its investment in green hydrogen, establishing a dedicated department to develop specialized projects in the field locally, regionally, and globally. Chief Green Hydrogen Officer, Mohamed Abdelqader El Ramahi, stated that now is the best time for the UAE to implement these projects, with the goal of allocating half of its planned capacity, or 1 million tons of green hydrogen and its derivatives per year, by 2030-2033, according to Masdar's announced strategy.

El Ramahi explained that Masdar has allocated half of this production for development in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, equivalent to 500,000 tons of green hydrogen per year, which will enhance Abu Dhabi's leadership as one of the world's major green hydrogen production centers. He noted that development work on these projects began in early January 2023.