Dii Desert Energy today announced the upcoming launch of its new strategic report, “Unlocking the hydrogen economy: how Common User Infrastructure drives project bankability”, at the upcoming 15th Dii Desert Energy Summit. The summit, held under the Patronage of the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, will take place on the 6th and 7th of November at The W Dubai. The report provides a critical blueprint through the use of Common User Infrastructure (CUI) for overcoming the financial and legal hurdles stalling the global hydrogen economy.
The study confronts the primary barrier to progress: bankability. While ambitious giga-scale hydrogen projects hold the promise of energy security and emission reduction, many remain on paper, struggling to secure financing against immense upfront capital requirements and overwhelming complexity across technical, commercial, and legal domains. The study’s findings are grounded in real-world case studies from key emerging hydrogen markets, including Namibia, Oman, Jordan, and Morocco, showcasing diverse CUI models tailored to local conditions and strategic goals.
A central insight of the report is its novel framework for deconstructing the complexity of Common User Infrastructure (CUI) into three manageable categories of risk:
- Traditional Risks: Standard challenges in large infrastructure projects with existing legal precedents.
- Complex Risks: Known risks, such as “project-on-project risk,” that are amplified in a multi-user hydrogen hub.
- Novel Risks: Hydrogen-specific challenges requiring new legal frameworks, like product certification and state aid rules.
Cornelius Matthes, CEO of Dii Desert Energy:
“Common use infrastructure is widely stated as key factor to make large scale renewable energy and hydrogen projects bankable. Different models and practical case studies guide us on how this barrier can be overcome.”
Manuel Geiger, VP, Head of International Business Development, Enertrag:
“The technical and commercial structure of a CUI is a major differentiator of potential hydrogen production markets. We therefore work closely with the relevant entities in partner countries to jointly develop a framework that allows for increased bankability and cost competitiveness in a market where projects compete globally.”
Eng. Abdulaziz Al Shidhani, Managing Director of Hydrogen Oman (Hydrom):
“Developing Common User Infrastructure is a practical step toward making hydrogen projects financially viable. When access, ownership, and operating standards are clearly defined, investors gain the confidence to move from plans to execution. This approach creates a stable environment where projects can progress collectively, infrastructure is efficiently utilized, and long-term value is realized for the wider economy.”
Find out more
You can see the full Dii Desert Energy Leadership Summit agenda at https://diisummit.org/agenda/
You can find out more about the Dii Desert Energy Leadership Summit at https://diisummit.org/
Registration for the Summit is now open, passes can be booked at https://diisummit.org/registration/