From March 18th to 20th, 2024, the 10th Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue (BETD) took place, with the Minister of Energy and Minerals of the Sultanate of Oman, Salim al Aufi, attending numerous sessions and holding a bilateral meeting with German Minister Dr. Robert Habeck of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK). The Omani minister was accompanied by a delegation of key public stakeholders from Oman. They used the opportunity to visit multiple cities across Germany on a working trip to engage with German stakeholders. The trip was jointly organized by the Omani and German embassies, supported by H2-Diplo, AHK Oman, and Guidehouse.
Oman’s Minister of Energy and Minerals, Salim Al Aufi, along with a high-level delegation, participated in the tenth-anniversary Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue (BETD) conference. The delegation sought to deepen their understanding of the future German off-take market and meet technology providers. The German Embassy, H2-Diplo, AHK, and Guidehouse (on behalf of the BMWK), collaborated to organize a study trip, enabling the delegation to engage with a wide range of stakeholders.
Accompanying the minister were Dr. Firas Al-Abduwani from the Ministry of Energy and Minerals, Eng. Abdulaziz Al Shidhani (Managing Director at Hydrom), and Najla Al Jamali (CEO of OQ Alternative Energy).
During the conference, Minister Salim Al Aufi participated in a panel session on “Sustainability Standards in Green Hydrogen,” where he shared progress in the green hydrogen sector in Oman. He emphasized Oman’s strategy of prioritizing green hydrogen production, aligning with EU sustainability criteria. On the sidelines, the delegation met with H2Global and LBST (partner in the CertifHy initiative) to gain insights into certification and supporting schemes for initial off-take contracts.
Before arriving in Berlin, the delegation attended an offtaker round table in Leipzig for discussions on hydrogen infrastructure, trade dynamics, and collaboration opportunities. They also toured the real lab “Energy Park Bad Lauchstädt,” one of Germany’s flagship projects demonstrating the full value chain for green hydrogen production, storage, and distribution.
In Berlin, the delegation visited a vocational training facility in Siemensstadt to explore vocational training prospects for the energy transition and the PEM electrolyzer production site by Siemens Energy, which will supply stacks to a planned 300-400 MW electrolyzer manufacturing site in Oman.
Further enriching discussions took place in Hamburg, where round table talks explored collaboration opportunities in the aviation and shipping sectors, paving the way for robust hydrogen supply chains between Oman and Germany. The final destination of the visit was Duisburg, focusing on the production of green steel.
This delegation visit and Oman’s participation in the BETD highlight the ongoing collaboration between Oman and Germany in energy transition. This collaboration is supported by initiatives like H2-Diplo and the Energy Dialogue, through which Germany supports partner countries, including Oman, in the decarbonization and diversification of their economies with green hydrogen.
For more news about the H2-diplo activities, follow us on LinkedIn: Global Hydrogen Diplomacy: Übersicht | LinkedIn
