Sharjah National Oil Corporation (SNOC) and German technology company Siemens Energy have agreed to collaborate with Ireland-based developer Decahydron to assess the feasibility of using natural hydrogen directly in power generation or other industrial applications in the northern Emirates.

Decahydron and SNOC are already exploring for natural hydrogen in the emirate of Sharjah, with early results described as “encouraging”. Drilling is planned for 2026 to provide detailed resource data and measured flow rates, the two companies said.

The new project will examine the use of natural hydrogen directly in power plants or other industrial processes, avoiding the costs of storage and transport while creating a new low-carbon energy source for the UAE that could be used for energy-intensive facilities such as datacentres, the companies said.

Siemens Energy will leverage its expertise in energy technology to support the feasibility work. It will also provide analytical insights to help assess the commercial potential and contribute to shaping the strategic direction of the project as it progresses toward potential implementation.

“We look forward to advancing this feasibility study in parallel with our ongoing exploration activities,” said Khamis al-Mazrouei, CEO of SNOC. “The potential discovery of natural hydrogen could mark a new chapter in Sharjah’s energy landscape—providing an abundant, naturally occurring source of clean energy. If proven viable, it would not only strengthen Sharjah’s role in the national energy transition but also reaffirm SNOC’s commitment to driving sustainable, secure, and resilient energy solutions for generations to come.”

Decahydron holds exclusive mineral rights to sites in the UAE to ultramafic rock formations with high natural hydrogen potential. “Our work indicates that Sharjah and the northern Emirates hold exceptional potential, a finding also supported by independent research from the Colorado School of Mines and the Universite de Pau,” said Arnaud Lager, CEO of Decahydron.

Khalid Bin Hadi, managing director, UAE, Siemens Energy, said: “Hydrogen has the potential to be central to the decarbonisation of the power sector, and our technology is ready to enable this transition. This collaboration marks the start of a new initiative to explore the potential of natural hydrogen as a clean, sustainable energy source for the region.”

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Author: Stuart Penson