Kuwait City: Jamal Al Loughani, Secretary General of the Arab Energy Organisation (AEO), has announced that nine Arab states have set targets to produce eight million tonnes of low-carbon hydrogen annually by 2030. This output is expected to double to 27.5 million tonnes per year by 2040, contingent upon the maturity of the global hydrogen market.
According to Bahrain News Agency, Al Loughani, in a statement to the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), highlighted that the UN Group of Experts on Gas in Geneva has welcomed a joint initiative between the organisation and the Russian Federation. This initiative aims to conduct studies on various methods for storing and transporting hydrogen in both liquid and gaseous forms. The initiative has been included in the 2026 programme of work of the UN commission, and its outcomes will be reviewed during the commission's meeting in March 2026. This effort is part of a broader strategy to raise awareness of options available to support the development of a global hydrogen economy.
Al Loughani also noted that Arab states are making significant investments in hydrogen to meet the increasing demand in major markets, including Europe and Asia, while simultaneously developing domestic applications in industrial and transport sectors. The number of announced hydrogen projects in Arab states has increased fourfold from 2021 to 2024, reaching 127 projects by the end of 2024, compared to 34 in 2021. These projects include the production and export of low-carbon hydrogen, transportation via pipelines from North Africa to Europe, and its use in land and marine transport, including fueling ships.
Furthermore, Al Loughani revealed that six Arab states have finalized their national hydrogen strategies, while another six are in the process of doing so. Some have already completed their national hydrogen roadmaps, which serve as precursors to the full national strategy.