In a trial project, the largest renewable energy firm in the United Arab Emirates and the leading steel production will collaborate to produce the metal using green hydrogen as a power source.

A statement from Masdar and Emirates Steel Arkan states that the test project will begin in 2024. The project will use green hydrogen rather than natural gas to extract iron from iron ore during the steel-making process.

Green hydrogen is produced from renewable energy sources like wind or solar power. The companies are installing electrolyzers, a key component in making hydrogen, at Emirates Steel Arkan’s facilities in Abu Dhabi, according to the statement. Steel-making produces about 8 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions, according to the statement.

The UAE was the first Middle Eastern oil producer to declare a net zero target. The country’s role as host of the world’s most important annual climate conference, the COP28, which starts later this month, has been criticized by environmentalists because oil remains central to its economy. It is also putting in large investments to boost output capacity further.