Bee'ah and Chinook Sciences announces first waste-to-hydrogen project in Middle East

Building on its commitment to zero-waste cities and clean energy solutions, Bee'ah, a sustainability specialist, announced that it will be pursuing plans for the region's first waste-to-hydrogen project in the UAE.

Source: PRNewsfoto/Chinook Sciences, Bee’ah. During a visit by Chinook Sciences Chairman and CEO, Dr Rifat Chalabi (front left), the evolution of the plans to a waste-to-hydrogen project was agreed during a signing ceremony in the presence of HE Salim Al Owais (front right), Chairman of Bee'ah, and a delegation of senior officials from both entities.

The project includes a green hydrogen generation plant and a hydrogen vehicle fuelling station, in collaboration with UK-based Chinook Sciences, an industrial, renewable fuel and environmental technology company.

During a visit by Chinook Sciences Chairman and CEO, Dr Rifat Chalabi, the evolution of the plans to a waste-to-hydrogen project was agreed during a signing ceremony in the presence of HE Salim Al Owais, Chairman of Bee'ah, and a delegation of senior officials from both entities. The waste-to-hydrogen plant will be adjacent to the fuelling station, overcoming the challenges of costly transportation of hydrogen. The waste-to-hydrogen plant will take in non-recyclable plastic waste and waste wood, generating green hydrogen that is fed to the fuelling station to power hydrogen vehicles.

HE Salim said: "Green hydrogen will be a vital pillar of our future energy landscape and Bee'ah has been looking into this market for some time now with Chinook in alignment with our long-term strategy to develop new, sustainable energy solutions. As a sustainability leader, Bee'ah is keen to further support the UAE in its hydrogen economy ambitions, energy diversification and decarbonisation efforts."

HE Khaled Al Huraimel, Group CEO of Bee'ah, which is operational in the UAE, KSA and Egypt, said: "As a waste management leader in the Middle East, we are proud to pursue the first waste-to-hydrogen solution in the region. This project will showcase the potential of waste-to-hydrogen. Bee'ah has always recognised the value of energy recovery from waste and through this new project, we aim to support a circular economy across multiple fronts throughout the region."

Dr Rifat, Chairman and CEO of Chinook Sciences said: "We are very excited to use Chinook Sciences' patented RODECS gasification and pyrolysis technology in the UAE, which breaks down hydrocarbons from waste through advanced thermal treatment to release and recover green hydrogen. When the green hydrogen is used in vehicles, it emits only water and no carbon emissions."

"Through the use of Chinook's RODECS technology, the cost of green hydrogen from the plant shall be very competitive and has the potential to be equal to or even less than the cost of diesel and gasoline. At maximum production capacity, the plant shall be capable of fuelling 1,000 hydrogen-powered large vehicles per day," said Dr Rifat.

The UAE has previously announced its aim to become a major hydrogen producer, and to reduce carbon emissions by 24% by 2030. Plans include investment in green hydrogen, which is produced using renewable energy like solar power as well as using carbon-capture technologies to create what is known as blue hydrogen.

Waste cooking oil helps power 1,000 km flight in China

Waste cooking oil may soon become part of travel plans. A regularly scheduled Hainan Airlines flight has carried more than 100 passengers from Shanghai to Beijing in a Boeing Next-Generation 737-800 aircraft, a distance of over 1,000 km using a fuel blend that includes biofuel made by Sinopec from waste cooking oil collected from restaurants in China. Both of the airplane's CFM International CFM56-7B engines were powered by a fuel blend of approximately 50% aviation biofuel mixed with conventional petroleum jet fuel.

Sustainably produced biofuel, which reduces carbon emissions by 50 to 80% compared to petroleum through its lifecycle, is expected to play a key role in supporting aviation's growth while meeting environmental goals. 

Said Pu Ming, VP of Hainan Airlines, who piloted the plane: "As a fast-growing domestic and international carrier, Hainan Airlines is demonstrating our environmental commitment by showing that aviation biofuel can play a safe and effective role in China's air transport system."

"Boeing is proud to advance its decades-long partnership with China by collaborating closely with Hainan Airlines and Sinopec to achieve this significant milestone," said Ian Thomas, President, Boeing China. "We thank and congratulate our partners, whose teamwork, vision and commitment to sustainable aviation are helping to improve our industry and our environment for the long term."

Added Sinopec spokesperson Lv Dapeng: "For many years, Sinopec has maintained a leadership role in China in terms of the development and application of biomass fuel including aviation biofuel and bio-diesel. This fully represents an earnest commitment from Sinopec to continuously advance scientific and technological innovation and promote green and low-emission development."