Riyadh expands on hydrogen ambitions

The Kingdom is looking to become a leading producer of green as well as blue hydrogen despite a lagging renewables buildout

Taking the virtual stage at the World Economic Forum in late January, Saudi energy minister Abdelaziz bin Salman Al Saud toned down his defiance over continued upstream oil investment and instead spoke of his government’s intent to become the world’s leading supplier of hydrogen. A day earlier, state oil giant Saudi Aramco signed a series of deals with energy firms from South Korea—a key potential importer of the fuel—to collaborate on developing the fledgling international market. The nine memorandums of understanding (MoUs) inked during the visit to Riyadh by South Korean president Moon Jae-in are geared primarily towards the development of a blue hydrogen supply chain between the two nati