Publications

Dii Desert Energy conducts in-depth studies, reports and white-papers on a range of emerging energy transition topics, including new technologies, interconnections, market trends, green electrons and green molecules. These studies are distinguished by their inclusion of bilateral expert interviews with partners, who can be featured or co-authors of the reports. 

The reports are unique as they provide firsthand insights directly from the market, which are then analyzed by Dii’s experienced and independent research team. This approach combines academic rigor with the perspectives of top management and practical industry experiences, ensuring that the findings are comprehensive and actionable.

MENA Energy Outlook 2025 – Renewables, Hydrogen and Energy Storage Insights 2030
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Energy storage, the new frontier
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Liquid hydrogen – powering the energy transition
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Low-Emission Molecules: Insights into an Emerging Sector
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Dii Green Revolution 2024
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Bulk Transport Options for Green Molecules
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Sun, Wind and Desert: MENA and the World of Renewable Energies
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Green Energy for All
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Hydrogen Development and Opportunities in the MENA Region
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The Potential of Hydrogen Transition for Ports in the Sultanate of Oman
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Faster, Cheaper and Much Cleaner
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How to Deliver on the EU Hydrogen Accelerator
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The Potential for Green Hydrogen in the GCC Region
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Hydrogen Act – Towards the Creation of the European Hydrogen Economy
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The Risk and Opportunities of Green Hydrogen Production and Export
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Green Hydrogen for a European Green Deal A 2×40 GW Initiative
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Battery Storage: Is the Middle East ready yet?
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Emission Free Energy from the Deserts
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A North Africa – Europe Hydrogen Manifesto
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Desert Power: Getting Connected
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The Economic Impacts of Desert Power
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Desert Power: Getting Started
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Desert Power 2050: Perspectives on a Sustainable Power System for EUMENA
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MENA Energy Outlook 2025 – Renewables, Hydrogen and Energy Storage Insights 2030

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By: Dii Desert Energy: Chiara Aruffo, PhD and Cornelius Matthes

Date of Publication: February 2025

With the fast evolution the region is experiencing in the last years and targets set by countries, we want to provide a forward-looking picture on how the energy transition to 2030 could unfold. The work leverages the insights from the Renewable Projects database, the MENA H2 tracker and the newly added Energy Storage Projects database on one side, and the unique knowledge of the region that Dii Desert Energy has built over the years. Having most of the ‘doers of projects’ as partners, Dii has unique insights and is always close to the latest developments of projects and markets.

Energy storage, the new frontier

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By: Dii Desert Energy: Frank Wouters, Ad van Wijk, Fadi Maalouf, Chiara Aruffo Phd.

Date of Publication: November 2024

The study investigates current energy storage requirements and how they will evolve to meet future energy demand. It emphasizes the critical role of hydrogen in the energy transition, highlighting the need for additional hydrogen storage to support a clean and functional future energy system. Despite a projected decrease in overall storage, the study projects a significant rise in storage costs, with hydrogen playing a much more important role than most existing models predict.

Liquid hydrogen – powering the energy transition

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By: Frank Wouters, Chiara Aruffo, Fadi Maalouf from Dii Desert Energy

Date of Publication: October 2024

The white paper, developed within the Dii Desert Energy Liquid Hydrogen Taskforce, offers a comprehensive review of the current status of liquid hydrogen, its applications, cost considerations, technologies, and the challenges associated with transport and distribution. Additionally, it provides a series of recommendations focused on increasing awareness, technology deployment, and demonstration projects to advance the use of liquid hydrogen.

Low-Emission Molecules: Insights into an Emerging Sector

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By: ILF Consulting Engineers: Simon Roth, Omar Abdelrahman, Tobias Hüllhorst, Kimberly Sari, Harry Griffith; Cornelius Matthes, Dii Desert Energy; Frank Wouters, MENA Hydrogen Alliance; Wouter Vanhoudt, Hinicio

Date of Publication: October 2024

This white paper brings insights from 31 leading firms across Europe and MENA, examining the pivotal role of off-takers, the bankability challenges facing developers, and innovative risk-sharing strategies. It tackles the “chicken-and-egg” dilemma hampering the sector and outlines actionable recommendations to fast-track market growth.

Dii Green Revolution 2024

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By: Dii Desert Energy: Cornelius Matthes and Chiara Aruffo

Date of publication: October 2024

This market-focused study explores the energy transition in the MENA region, highlighting local benefits, job creation, and sustainable ecosystem development through renewable energy and hydrogen projects. Challenges and opportunities are outlined, with a focus on localization and export.

Bulk Transport Options for Green Molecules

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By: ILF Consulting Engineers: Simon Roth, Omar Abdelrahman, Tobias Hüllhorst, Kimberly Sari and Harry Griffith; Cornelius Matthes, Dii Desert Energy and Frank Wouters, MENA Hydrogen Alliance

Date of Publication: October 2024

The study provides an overview of European hydrogen production and demand, then focuses on hydrogen transport options, their respective levelized transportation cost, and perspectives of key stakeholders through a set of interviews.

Sun, Wind and Desert: MENA and the World of Renewable Energies

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By Paul van Son, Dii Desert Energy; Dr. Thomas Isenburg

This book explores Europe’s energy potential, focusing on solar and wind energy from North Africa and MENA, as well as offshore wind in European seas. These sources will become crucial for Europe’s future energy supply.

Green Energy for All

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By: Prof. Dr. Ad Van Wijk; Els van der Roest and Jos Boere

Date of publication: October 2023

The gap between supply and demand for sustainable energy is too large. In cities and industrial areas, where sustainable energy is most needed, there is a severe lack of space. And the deserts and oceans, where there is an abundance of sun and wind, are far away. This book shows how to solve these storage and transport problems in smart ways with hydrogen and electricity. In addition, we argue for a broader view of energy systems as part of an integrated, global system for supplying energy, materials, water and food.

Hydrogen Development and Opportunities in the MENA Region

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By: Dii Desert Energy: Paul van Son and Chiara Aruffo

Date of publication: April 2023

This document explores hydrogen energy developments in the MENA region to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. Key points include an overview of hydrogen projects in the region, socio-economic benefits, and the importance of international cooperation and infrastructure for hydrogen exports.

The Potential of Hydrogen Transition for Ports in the Sultanate of Oman

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By: Dii Desert Energy: Cornelius Matthes and Chiara Aruffo; and Dr. Sausan Al-Riyami, Oman Hydrogen Centre (OHC)

Date of publication: December 2022

This exploratory document offers the first outlook on hydrogen transition for Oman’s ports. It examines the advanced capabilities of Duqm, Sohar, and Salalah deep-water ports to meet decarbonization targets and serve as key logistical hubs for global clean energy transport.

Faster, Cheaper and Much Cleaner

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By: Frank Wouters, MENA Hydrogen Alliance and Prof. Dr. Ad Van Wijk, Delft University of Technology

Date of publication: March 2022

A high-level model was built for a fictitious economy called Utopia to assess three pathways towards a zero-carbon economy by 2050: a gradual (linear) replacement of fossil fuels by clean energy, an accelerated pathway leading to a carbon free system by 2035, and a delayed pathway, in which replacement takes place from 2035 onwards.

How to Deliver on the EU Hydrogen Accelerator

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By: Prof. Dr. Ad Van Wijk, Tu Delft; Kirsten Westphal, H2 Global Foundation; Jan Braun, Energy Transition Researcher

Endorsed by: African Hydrogen Partnership (AHP); Dii Desert Energy; ΕU-GCC Clean Energy. Technology Network; H2Global Foundation; MENA Hydrogen Alliance

Date of publication: May 2022

This paper analyses the Hydrogen Accelerator proposed in the European Commission’s REPowerEU common action plan and suggests concrete additional EU actions that are needed to realise its ’20-Mton-hydrogen-target-by-2030’.

The Potential for Green Hydrogen in the GCC Region

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By: Roland Berger: Vatche Kourkejian, Alejandro Longueira, Filippo Ghizzoni, Arnaud Philibert, Emir Cabukoglu; Dii Desert Energy: Cornelius Matthes and Valeria Aruffo

Date of publication: May 2021

As the localization opportunities of the hydrogen economy in GCC is still a rather unexplored subject, this joint report is zooming in on the localization and the resulting job creation potential of hydrogen economy in the region.

Hydrogen Act – Towards the Creation of the European Hydrogen Economy

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By: Hydrogen Europe: Jorgo Chatzimarkakis and Constantine Levoyannis; Prof Dr Ad van Wijk, Tu Delft; Frank Wouters, MENA Hydrogen Alliance

Supported by: European Union Gulf Cooperation Council (EU GCC); Clean Energy Technology Network; Dii Desert Energy; African Hydrogen Partnership (AHP)

Date of publication: April 2021

The Hydrogen Act is a vision paper contributing to the implementation of the EU’s Hydrogen Strategy. The final goal of the Hydrogen Act is to contribute to the establishment of a proper functioning and liquid market for clean hydrogen as a new commodity in Europe.

The Risk and Opportunities of Green Hydrogen Production and Export

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By: Dii Desert Energy: Cornelius Matthes and Valeria Aruffo; Louis Retby-Pradeau, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung

Date of publication: November 2020

This paper shows that the MENA region has the potential to become Powerhouse for green hydrogen, in the first place for regional societies, but also for world markets. The opportunities will thus significantly outweigh the risks.

Green Hydrogen for a European Green Deal A 2×40 GW Initiative

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By: Prof. Dr. Ad van Wijk, TU Delft and Jorgo Chatzimarkakis, Hydrogen Europe

Endorsed by: African Hydrogen Partnership Initiative; Ukrainian Hydrogen Council; Dii Desert Energy; EU-GCC Clean Energy Technology Network

Date of publication: March 2020

This report discusses the potential for hydrogen to revolutionize the European energy sector, proposing a 2×40 GW electrolyser capacity by 2030. It outlines the benefits, including cost competitiveness, CO2 reduction, job creation, and Europe’s potential to become a world leader in green hydrogen production.

Battery Storage: Is the Middle East ready yet?

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By: Arthur D. Little: Adnan Merhaba, Amit Maheshwari and Gaya Haciane; Dii Desert Energy: Cornelius Matthes and Fadi Maalouf; Dr. Andrei Zschocke, ThyssenKrupp Uhde Chlorine Engineers GmbH; Antonio Iliceto, Cigrè Committee System Development & Economics; Marc Yacoub, Yellow Door Energy.

Date of publication: December 2019

This study delves into the battery energy storage value chain, examining key players, use cases, and global benchmarks. It provides a close-up analysis of current and future trends in the MENA region, highlighting opportunities and challenges in adopting energy storage systems in line with global trends.

Emission Free Energy from the Deserts

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By: Paul Van Son, Thomas Isenburg

Date of publication: November 2019

10 years ago the idea that solar and wind energy in desert areas could become a major source of energy for the world sounded like crazy. The German industry and a German NGO launched in those days a Desertec1.0 plan to bring electrical power from the North African deserts to Europe, even to Germany. A long journey of studies, regional and international stakeholder discussions and many trials and errors have followed. Desertec1.0 became Desertec2.0 in 2015 when the industry initiative Dii relocated from Munich to Dubai focusing on developments and benefits in the MENA region. Today all desert countries have adopted the basic Desertec idea, which is swiftly migrating to Desertec3.0: MENA countries to become an emission free power house for green electrons and green molecules (such as hydrogen) for their own people and for the world markets. The exciting story of Dii Desert Energy and emission free energy perspectives for all are smartly presented and discussed in this book by Paul van Son and Thomas Isenburg.

French and German versions are also available.

A North Africa – Europe Hydrogen Manifesto

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By: Prof. Dr. Ad van Wijk, Delft; Frank Wouters, MSc, Advisian (now MENA Hydrogen Alliance); and IRESEN: Dr. Samir Rachidi and Dr. Badr Ikken

Date of publication: November 2019

A joint hydrogen strategy between Europe and North Africa can help build a European energy system based on 50% renewable electricity and 50% green hydrogen by 2050.

This paper is a summary of the chapter ‘Hydrogen, the Bridge between Africa and Europe’ in the book “Shaping an Inclusive Energy Transition”, complemented with valuable insights from recent developments in the green hydrogen space in Morocco.

Desert Power: Getting Connected

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By: Dii Desert Energy, Philipp Godron, Jürgen Neubarth and Maher Soyah

Date of Publication: June 2014

This study outlines the requirements for a transmission grid infrastructure to enable efficient electricity exchange across Europe and MENA markets. It contributes to the debate on a pan-EUMENA overlay grid, aiming for secure and cost-efficient implementation of long-term renewable targets and enhanced market integration.

The Economic Impacts of Desert Power

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By: Dii Desert Energy: Julian Blohmke, Mathew Sohm, Florian Zickfeld, Josef Bartolot, Moritz Heber

Date of publication: June 2013

This report investigates how renewables in the MENA region can lead to socio-economic benefits. It explores job creation in three MENA countries and higher GDP growth through renewable expansion. It highlights economic impacts across sectors and the importance of policy support for a sustainable market, aiming to enhance the benefits of green growth.

Desert Power: Getting Started

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By: Dii Desert Energy: Florian Zickfeld, Aglaia Wieland, Josef Bartolot, Mathew Sohm, Jürgen Neubarth, Miriam Bardolet, Alexander Bögle, Dominik Ruderer, Fabian Wigand and Julian Blohmke

Date of publication: June 2013

This report outlines pragmatic steps for a sustainable and affordable electricity supply in the EUMENA region. It presents a private-sector perspective on the Mediterranean Solar Plan and emphasizes the need for effective regulation, experience with renewables, and private sector involvement.

Desert Power 2050: Perspectives on a Sustainable Power System for EUMENA

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By: Dii Desert Energy: Florian Zickfeld, Aglaia Wieland, Julian Blohmke, Mathew Sohm, and Ahmad Yousef

Date of publication: June 2012

This study examines the future energy challenges of Europe and MENA, advocating for an integrated EUMENA power system. It promotes the Desertec vision of producing renewable electricity in optimal areas for high-demand regions.

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Publications

Dii Desert Energy conducts in-depth studies, reports and white-papers on a range of emerging energy transition topics, including new technologies, interconnections, market trends, green electrons and green molecules. These studies are distinguished by their inclusion of bilateral expert interviews with partners, who can be featured or co-authors of the reports. 

The reports are unique as they provide firsthand insights directly from the market, which are then analyzed by Dii’s experienced and independent research team. This approach combines academic rigor with the perspectives of top management and practical industry experiences, ensuring that the findings are comprehensive and actionable.

Publications
Download
More information