The head of the Moroccan government, Aziz Akhannouch, has signed a circular on "Morocco's Offer" to attract investment in the nascent hydrogen industry. Morocco wants to position itself as one of the leaders in the sector in Africa.
While the green hydrogen sector is still developing worldwide, Morocco is already putting its weight behind this market, which is expected to reach full growth by 2030. The “Morocco Offer” circular signed on Monday 11 March 2024 sets out the Kingdom’s strategy for attracting investment in the green hydrogen sector and its derivatives, including green ammonia for agriculture, synthetic fuel for aviation and methanol for bunkering ships.
One of the key issues is the allocation of land. The Moroccan government plans to allocate one million hectares for hydrogen projects in the country, with an initial phase of 300,000 hectares, divided into lots of 1,000 to 3,000 hectares, “depending on the size of the planned projects, with the State taking care, within a contractual framework, to preserve public land and guarantee its proper use”, reads the Moroccan government’s circular.
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There is also the question of setting up the infrastructure needed to develop the green hydrogen sector. This may include pipelines for transport from evacuation sites (ports) to the international market. The Moroccan government is also planning to put in place “incentives and support measures for project developers”.
Among the investors who have shown an interest in the Kingdom of Morocco is Total Eren. This subsidiary of the energy company TotalEnergies announced its intention to invest €9 billion in 2022 in the construction of green hydrogen production infrastructures covering 170,000 hectares in the Guelmim-Oued Noun region. Total Eren is counting on an electrolysis capacity of 10 GW.
Jean Marie Takouleu
