Morocco’s Green Hydrogen endeavors have witnessed significant progress, with various organizations taking strides in research, development, and innovation in this sustainable energy sector. Key players such as IRESEN, UM6P, and the OCP Group have joined forces to establish the Green H2A platform, solely dedicated to R&D, innovation, and training in green hydrogen and its applications. A crucial milestone in this endeavor was the signing of a contract with the Dutch company Proton Venture in July 2022.
IRESEN has achieved another significant milestone by commissioning its first green hydrogen production system on a micro-pilot scale as part of the Power-to-X µPilot project. These steps demonstrate Morocco’s commitment to creating a robust ecosystem and implementing a well-defined roadmap for green hydrogen initiatives.
Several concrete projects are already underway in the country. Among them is the Green H2A platform, supported by IRESEN, OCP Group, and UM6P. This platform will host a pre-industrial pilot unit capable of producing 4 tonnes per day of green ammonia with an electrolysis capacity of 4MW, including 2MW of Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) and 2MW of Alkaline. The pilot plant is set to be commissioned in 2023.
Another significant project led by Masen aims to produce 10,000 tonnes of hydrogen per year by 2025 through a 100 MW electrolysis capacity. Furthermore, several major investments have been announced in connection with industrial projects to boost green hydrogen production and utilization.
Two projects, “Hevo Ammonia Maroc” and the “AMUN project,” also hold immense promise. The former is a collaborative effort between Fusion Fuel Green and Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC) and will represent 600 MW of electrolysis capacity with a total investment of 865 million euros. Once fully developed in 2026, it is expected to produce 183,000 tonnes of green ammonia and reduce annual CO2 emissions by 280,000 tonnes. The latter project, announced by CWP Global, envisions building a large-scale hydrogen and green ammonia production plant with a 15 GW hybrid solar and wind power capacity.
To foster knowledge sharing and expertise in the green hydrogen economy, IRESEN and UM6P’s Green Tech Institute (GTI) organized the first edition of the Middle East & Africa CleanTech Academy (MEA CleanTech Academy) in September 2022. The academy provided theoretical sessions, practical modeling and simulation workshops, field visits, and opportunities for young scientists from Arab countries and the African continent to present their findings. The goal is to cultivate a powerful network of talented experts capable of addressing climate change challenges in the Africa and Middle East regions collaboratively.
Morocco’s commitment to green hydrogen and its proactive approach towards research, innovation, and training make it a pioneering force in the global movement towards sustainable energy solutions.