(Tunis / Tunisia) – Saudi power plant developer ACWA Power has signed an agreement with the Tunisian government to explore the potential for producing up to 600.000 tons of green hydrogen per year for export to Europe. To supply the electrolyzers, ACWA Power plans to build renewable energy plants with an installed capacity of more than twelve gigawatts, as well as storage facilities, desalination plants, and other infrastructure.
Export via the SoutH2 corridor
The first phase includes the installation of solar and wind power plants with a capacity of four gigawatts, two gigawatts of electrolysis capacity, and battery storage facilities. This will allow for the production of 200.000 tons of green hydrogen per year. The energy carrier is to be exported via the SoutH2 corridor , a 3.300-kilometer-long hydrogen pipeline planned with EU support from European transmission system operators, connecting Tunisia with Italy, Austria, and Germany.
6 million tons of hydrogen for Europe
The North African country's national strategy, published in October 2023, envisages building up a green hydrogen production capacity of 2050 million tonnes per year by 8,3. Six million tonnes of this would be shipped to Europe, according to a statement. "We are confident that this agreement with ACWA Power will leverage Tunisia's strengths, including its strategic geographic location, existing infrastructure and skilled workforce, to create a more sustainable future for the country," said Ouael Chouchene, Secretary of State for Energy Transition, at the signing of the agreement.
ACWA Power is also working in a joint venture with Air Products and Neom to develop an industrial-scale green hydrogen plant in the emerging city of Neom in Saudi Arabia to produce 1,2 million tonnes of green ammonia per year. ACWA Power is developing another project in Uzbekistan with an annual production capacity of 3.000 tonnes of green hydrogen.
Verbund and TE H2 also plan major project
Only shortly before, the Austrian electricity supplier Verbund AG and TE H2, a joint venture (80/20) between Total Energies and the Eren Group, had also signed a letter of intent with the Republic of Tunisia. The aim, as reported, is to carry out a major project called "H2 Notos" to examine the export of green hydrogen to Central Europe.
In the initial phase, annual production is planned to be around 200.000 tonnes, with the potential to increase to one million tonnes. This project is also intended to connect North Africa with Italy, Austria and Germany via the SouthH2 corridor and will go into operation in 2030.
Photos
ACWA Power plans to build a H2 production capacity of 600.000 tons in Tunisia using electricity from renewable energies. © ACWA Power
