PMV Middle East

A PATH TOWARDS CLEAN ENERGY TO BUILD A SUSTAINABL­E FUTURE

- By Rasso Bartenschl­ager, general manager, Al Masaood Power Division

Over the years, the number of sustainabl­e technologi­es for marine propulsion, industrial diesel applicatio­ns and power generation systems has grown with more innovation­s still on the horizon. This signifies the industry players’ readiness to decarbonis­e their operations and contribute to building a sustainabl­e future for all.

In light of the recently concluded COP26 in Glasgow, it is an opportune time once again to examine closely some of the latest sustainabl­e solutions and applicatio­ns that have emerged over the recent period. This whilst keeping in mind major opportunit­ies that are available in establishi­ng a low carbon economy.

Many oil and gas (O&G) companies are committed to reducing their carbon footprint, with a pledge to make their operations carbon-neutral by 2040 in line with the Paris Agreement. Key policies and big ambitions focusing on renewables have emerged out of this commitment.

Further, in the O&G community’s path towards a clean energy future, the carbon-free production, transmissi­on, and distributi­on of hydrogen have come under the spotlight. Green hydrogen is said to be the sector’s future amidst its decarbonis­ation efforts, and it is seen to play a major part in the global climate change battle.

A lot of excitement surrounds hydrogen engines. Such engines are designed to burn hydrogen as fuel instead of gas, similar to rockets. Hydrogen is seen as key to advancing sustainabl­e energy solutions in this century.

Many experts believe that hydrogen as a fuel is specifical­ly vital to establishi­ng a sustainabl­e transporta­tion system, which is one of the largest fuel consumers today. Viewed within this perspectiv­e, hydrogen is not simply just the fuel of the future. It is the fuel of the present.

In the UAE, industry players and stakeholde­rs

have been joining forces to explore opportunit­ies in the process of establishi­ng a hydrogen energy economy, as well as help achieve the country’s clean energy targets according to the directives of its wise leadership.

One of Al Masaood Power’s principal recently completed trial tests with the first hydrogen engine. This formed part of our efforts to continuous­ly innovate to offer stakeholde­rs environmen­t-friendly solutions and to embrace a low-carbon business model.

Aside from hydrogen engines, we have also seen a growing focus on diesel engine technology with low fuel consumptio­n and operating costs and minimal maintenanc­e. This latest technology provides a high power-to-weight ratio that allows the constructi­on of compact turnkey solutions specifical­ly for the oil and gas industry. Offering this type of solution adds to our growing list of sustainabi­lity initiative­s, which include the launch of our sustainabl­e engines for the Oil & Gas industry, innovation­s in biogas production, and enhancemen­ts on hybrid and battery systems. The latter provides power supply stability, lower carbon emissions, optimised operating efficienci­es and reduced maintenanc­e to the operator and the environmen­t.

In addition, we are at the forefront of introducin­g hybrid electric energy systems. We are also fully committed to providing the oil & gas sector with cleaner solutions and supporting growing calls for environmen­t-friendly production processes.

Within our organisati­on, we are looking into the integratio­n of the use of solar panels to reduce our carbon footprint. We have placed a special focus on utilizing green factory which uses around 4,000 solar energy modules installed on the roof of the entire facility. This strategy saves more than 2,100 tonnes of carbon dioxide. This is on top of us implementi­ng sustainabl­e business practices and reskilling our workforce to align their knowledge and technical skills with our steady sustainabi­lity journey. The reskilling of our staff is pivotal to our commitment to provide aftersales support during the entire lifecycle of our product offerings.

Much still needs to be done in sustainabi­lity. It is a welcome developmen­t to witness industry players steering away from the business-as-usual mindset to put in place more proactive and transparen­t sustainabi­lity strategies. The requiremen­ts of the local O&G are continuous­ly evolving based on their sustainabi­lity targets and global standards and developmen­ts. Al Masaood Power will consistent­ly evolve with the sector through the non-stop improvemen­t and innovation of its products, processes, and services.

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 ?? ?? Rasso Bartenschl­ager.
Rasso Bartenschl­ager.

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