(Dublin / Ireland) – Morocco wants to start producing green hydrogen and ammonia next year. According to Irish-based technology company Fusion Fuel Green Plc, Moroccan Minister of Energy, Mines and Environment Aziz Rabbah officially presented the “Hevo Ammonia Morocco” project in Rabat. It is being developed by Fusion Fuel together with the Greek construction group Consolidated Contractors Group SAL (CCC), which is acting as general contractor. The Dutch raw materials trading company Vitol is taking over the distribution of green ammonia. According to the information, the investments are more than 7,5 billion dirhams (706 million euros).
Development of the first phase of the project is expected to begin in 2022 following the completion of a feasibility study. When fully operational, the plant will produce 2026 tons of green ammonia annually from 183.000.
Fusion Fuel will provide the technology to produce the 31.000 tonnes of green hydrogen required annually for the project. The off-grid solar hydrogen generator, called “Hevo Solar,” makes it possible to produce emission-free hydrogen “at extremely competitive costs” in regions with strong solar radiation, according to the company.
Cornerstone of Morocco's hydrogen strategy
“Morocco is the largest phosphate producer in the world, but with limited domestic ammonia production, it has previously relied on imported ammonia to produce fertilizer, one of Morocco's key industries,” explains Minister Rabbah. The possibility of exploiting the country's large solar and wind resources represents "a strategic opportunity for Morocco to play a leading role in the decarbonized global economy." The project is the cornerstone of the national hydrogen strategy and will “establish Morocco as an important exporter of ammonia on international markets.”
In May of this year, Fusion Fuel and CCC had already entered into a cooperation agreement to develop green hydrogen plants in the Middle East. The companies plan to build demonstration plants in several countries in the region, particularly in Oman, Kuwait and Qatar.
Fusion Fuel's business areas include the sale of electrolyzer technology to customers interested in building their own green hydrogen capacity, the development of hydrogen plants operated by Fusion Fuel and the trading of the gas.
Photos
“Noor I” solar power plant in Morocco / © IRENA
