In the presence of His Excellency Engineer Salem bin Nasser Al-Aufi, Minister of Energy and Minerals, a number of Their Excellencies, as well as green hydrogen experts, investors, and consultants, the Sultanate witnessed the official launch of the Green Hydrogen Summit with the opening of the accompanying exhibition at OCEC, which will run from December 5th to December 7th, 2022.
More than 30 local and international companies and institutions involved in the field of hydrogen are participating in the exhibition, where projects and programs they are working on, as well as modern technologies in the field of green hydrogen, are displayed. It helps visitors learn about the projects, experiences, and cutting-edge technology that many national and local institutions are using nowadays in this field.
The ministry also displays the most important works it is leading in the field of green hydrogen and available investment opportunities, as well as the national strategy for energy transformation and the most important minerals that are used in the production of green hydrogen technologies, through its pavilion at the exhibition.
The Sultanate of Oman aspires to be one of the world's leading suppliers of green hydrogen, and the Ministry of Energy and Minerals has been working on developing an ambitious strategy to assure the growth of a green hydrogen economy. It strives to promote this sector because of its positive influence on energy sources' diversification. It is a strategic opportunity for Omani and international businesses to collaborate and participate in ensuring local and global energy security and economic diversification.
An executive discussion session, sponsored by the Ministry of Energy and Minerals, will be held this evening for summit participants, where a number of key topics will be discussed, the most important of which are striking a balance between short-term energy security goals and long-term sustainable goals, energy transition paths and their importance in decarbonization, and the role of green hydrogen in diversifying energy and contributing to global energy security, as well as green hydrogen as a means of economic development and environmental sustainability.
The event will also address the hydrogen sector's challenges and opportunities, as well as the development and sustainability of green hydrogen production.
The Green Hydrogen Summit, with its executive, strategic, and technical discussion sessions, as well as the institutions and companies participating in the exhibition, represents an extension of the role that the Ministry of Energy and Minerals and its partners play in strengthening local added value policies, localizing industries related to the hydrogen sector, enabling strategic studies and research, and developing and building national capacity. It also intends to raise community awareness about green energy and any other associated policies. The ministry and its partners also seek to achieve strategic goals by focusing on the green hydrogen sector, which is represented in achieving the Sultanate of Oman's energy security through integrated planning for conventional and renewable energy resources, which guides the Sultanate's journey in the energy transition in a way that supports the paths of economic diversification and local and global growth, as well as consolidating the position of the country in playing a leading, reliable and competitive role in sector. It also aspires to promote the Sultanate of Oman's renewable green hydrogen sector by supporting national innovation, national in-country value programs, localizing industry, and building local competencies.
It intends to promote renewable energy and clean hydrogen as a key driver of decarbonization in the Sultanate of Oman and throughout the world, as well as to maximize business opportunities and strategic partnerships in the production and export of hydrogen. It aims to accelerate hydrogen absorption in local heavy industries and energy sectors, as well as to boost the Sultanate of Oman's competitiveness in promoting opportunities in the hydrogen sector through simple, transparent, and effective procedures for allocating lands and concession areas for renewable energy and hydrogen projects, attaining prior approvals for investors, as well as central infrastructure planning, adopting flexibility and continuous modernization in providing incentives and facilities to stimulate early foreign investments and encourage local industries to switch from natural gas to green alternatives. These strategies align with the advancement of green hydrogen production technologies and their competitiveness with other hydrogen alternatives.
The summit's main event, the Green Hydrogen Summit, will kick off on Tuesday morning and run for two days under the auspices of the Ministry of Energy and Minerals in the presence of His Excellency the Minister of Energy and Minerals, a number of Their Highnesses and Excellencies, as well as a number of experts, consultants, and investors.