Egypt’s Blue Hydrogen Strategy: A Bridge to a Low-Carbon Future

July 2, 2025

(3 Minutes Read)

As Egypt moves toward a low-carbon economy, its oil and gas sector remains central, not as an obstacle, but as a springboard. While the nation’s long-term energy vision prioritises renewables like green hydrogen, the near-term path leans on blue hydrogen, produced from natural gas with carbon capture and storage (CCS).

With abundant gas reserves and established LNG infrastructure, Egypt is well-positioned to develop blue hydrogen, using existing facilities and pipelines. This approach retains economic value, creates jobs, and reduces emissions without discarding decades of industry expertise.

Although green hydrogen remains the ultimate goal, its high costs and technical demands make it less viable in the short term. In contrast, blue hydrogen is quicker and more affordable to deploy using Egypt’s existing energy assets. This has already attracted investor interest, particularly in industrial hubs like Suez and Alexandria, where CCS can be integrated.

Environmental safeguards are critical. Methane leakage and secure carbon storage must be managed transparently to ensure blue hydrogen’s climate credibility. Egypt is exploring carbon storage in depleted oil fields and upgrading monitoring systems to meet international standards.

Blue hydrogen offers a dual advantage: helping decarbonise heavy industries now while preparing Egypt’s workforce and infrastructure for a future green hydrogen economy. As Dr. Laila Mounir notes, it’s “not just a stopgap—it’s an accelerator.”

By integrating blue hydrogen into its energy mix, Egypt balances climate goals with economic stability, laying the groundwork for renewable scale-up and regional leadership in hydrogen trade. Far from being a detour, blue hydrogen is a strategic step forward in Egypt’s clean energy transition.