Morocco is racing against time in the production of green hydrogen, having started to explore the opportunities and applications of the green hydrogen sector since 2018.

Morocco today holds advanced ranks in the field of green hydrogen, coming in fourth among the countries globally poised to produce hydrogen, following Saudi Arabia, with the UAE, Algeria, Egypt, Oman, and Qatar behind it.

The Kingdom of Morocco is also one of the top six countries in the world with immense potential for producing green hydrogen and its derivatives, qualifying it to capture 4 percent of global demand for green hydrogen by 2030, according to a report from the World Energy Council.

Morocco has taken significant strides, culminating in the installation of the first prototype system that produces this type of fuel in the country. Last year, the Solar Energy and New Energies Research Institute in Benguerir announced the completion of the first prototype system for producing green hydrogen, as part of the "Power-to-X d'Pilot" project.

According to an official from the institute, in an interview with "Al-Ain News," this system is an electrolyzer with a capacity of 20 kilowatts coupled with photovoltaic solar panels, which will be tested under a variable load of renewable electricity. He emphasized that the "Power-to-X d'Pilot" project is hosted by the Green Energy Center in Benguerir, in collaboration with Mohammed VI Polytechnic University.

Global Competition

Currently, Morocco is preparing to host and operate the first hydrogen electrolyzer in North Africa, belonging to the American company "Verde Hydrogen," as part of the kingdom's efforts to expand green investments. The American company announced its intention to invest in the field of green hydrogen in Morocco by signing an agreement to develop and operate a 2-megawatt electrolytic analysis project, which is the first of its kind in North Africa.

According to sources for "Earth Call," the project, which Morocco contracted with the American company on June 30 of last year, is set to be completed in early next year (2024).

The same sources mentioned that with the signing of this new project contract, "Verde Hydrogen" joins other companies investing in hydrogen fuel in Morocco, competing for a share of this future fuel, which the kingdom aims to attract for global investments in this field.

An important agreement has also been signed with a British company for the production of green hydrogen.

The agreement was signed between the OCP Group (Morocco's largest company) and Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, which has an agreement with the British company "Chariot" and "Orte Energy," which specializes in manufacturing electrolyzers.

It is noteworthy that the OCP Group continues to develop its strategy for producing green hydrogen.

Accelerated International Leadership

For more information, Abdelali Tahiri, an expert in renewable energies and climate change, explained to "Al-Ain News" that in the context of Morocco's accelerated and evolving energy dynamics, which began with the launch of the national strategy for renewable energies and sustainable development in 2009, it aims to produce 3 million tons of green hydrogen by 2030. Tahiri stated that producing this amount requires clean energy of 16 gigawatts, and raising production to 13 million tons by 2040 will require 80 gigawatts, while it could increase to about 26 million tons by 2050 if 160 gigawatts of renewable energies are provided.

The renewable energy specialist stated that this investment deal regarding hosting and operating the first green hydrogen electrolyzer in North Africa comes to strengthen this trend towards achieving a smooth and developed energy transition for Morocco, as well as international leadership in the production of green hydrogen, all in response to local, continental, and international needs for green hydrogen, or what is commonly referred to as "clean oil."

A Shift Towards Hydrogen for Decarbonization

Among the Moroccan regions, the city of Guelmim (in the south of the country) is also considered a leading hub for producing green hydrogen.

In this context, a responsible source from the Ministry of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development confirmed to "Earth Call" that the Guelmim-Oued Noun region offers investment opportunities and competitive qualifications.

The source added that Morocco's shift towards green hydrogen aims to decarbonize its industrial and transport sectors, as well as some energy-intensive industries, considering that green hydrogen has become an essential element in this process, even though it is financially costly.

According to the official, Morocco is well-positioned to be among the green hydrogen producers in the world. She confirmed, "We have not only 400 gigawatts of renewable energy (wind and solar) in the southern regions to obtain this production of green energy on a large scale."

Parliamentarians: Alternative and Clean Energies Are a Strategic Choice

The parliament has entered the fray regarding Morocco's production of green hydrogen, asking the government about the status of development requests from Moroccan and foreign project holders, especially considering the opportunities this product offers for the development of all sectors, as well as opportunities in industry, electricity, and transport.

In this regard, Rashid Hamouni, head of the Progress and Socialism team in the House of Representatives, told "Earth Call" that he has posed a written question to Leila Benali, Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, stating, "The choice of alternative and clean energies is a strategic option for our country, especially in light of the fuel crisis and the rising energy bill burdening our country and citizens. This necessitates continuing and intensifying attention to the production of all types of new energies."

Hamouni explained that the Economic, Social, and Environmental Council had issued an opinion regarding accelerating the energy transition to put Morocco on a path to green growth, bearing the number 2020.45. It included significant recommendations aimed at reducing the energy dependency rate from 88 percent to 35 percent by 2040, and to less than 17 percent by 2050. Among the most prominent recommendations is to support the hydrogen revolution (X-to-Power), where Morocco's competitive advantages in this promising field are considerable.

The head of the party team added that the green hydrogen program that our country needs to develop and position itself well in this field, along with the subsequent development of all sectors and opportunities in industry, electricity, and transport, will enhance Morocco's energy standing through fruitful partnerships, establishing the foundation for launching a green and clean hydrogen market, which will help position our country as a leader in this field, especially considering Morocco's competitiveness and potential in the field of renewable energies, all aimed at achieving a sustainable energy system.