Green hydrogen production in Morocco has been established as a national priority, especially after royal instructions to develop an operational and incentivizing “Morocco offer”. The Moroccan Economic and Development Center (CMC) has highlighted the opportunities offered by this strategic sector for the Kingdom.

With more than 41% of the share of renewable energies currently installed in the total established power, Morocco aims to exceed the already established goal of 52% in the national energy mix by 2030. This ambition is motivated by the decarbonization and carbon neutrality policy imposed on companies under the “Border Carbon Adjustment Mechanism” (MACF), which has already been established by the European Union for certain products manufactured outside Europe. This strategic positioning in renewable energies, which has already begun to bear fruit in Morocco, is of particular interest to the Moroccan Economic and Development Center (CMC). According to the monthly bulletin of this private and independent observatory of the Moroccan economy, specialized in the analysis and monitoring of the situation, emphasis has been placed primarily on the production of green hydrogen and its derivatives, which has become a national priority. Let us remember that King Mohammed VI chaired, on November 22, 2022, a working meeting dedicated to the development of renewable energies and new perspectives in this field, ordering the "development of an operational and incentive Moroccan offer that covers the entire chain of value of the green hydrogen industry in the Kingdom.

AN INDUSTRY BASED ON GREEN MOLECULES

According to the CMC, "Morocco, whose economy is severely affected by the import costs of fossil fuels, has made significant efforts to ensure an energy transition driven by renewable energy." Based on this realization, Morocco has the ambition to build an industry based on green molecules (Power-to-X or PtX), especially hydrogen and, secondarily, ammonia and methanol. Today, Power-to-X conversion technologies cover numerous applications, including the production of hydrogen from electrical energy. According to the same source, joining this dynamic allows us to diversify the energy pool, but also constitutes a substantial vector for the reindustrialization and decarbonization of the territories. The latter have already begun to position themselves in this area, especially the southern provinces, in particular Guelmim-Oued Noun, which has announced the creation of "Gon H2 Valley", a technological and industrial platform aimed at developing the value chain in around green hydrogen and its derivatives, in addition to Dakhla-Oued Eddahab with its usable potential in renewable energies.

GREEN HYDROGEN: INVESTMENT EVOLUTION

It is evident today that an evolving demand for green hydrogen is expected in the second half of this decade. The scenarios evaluated by the IPCC, IRENA and the Energy Transitions Commission show that, together with the widespread electrification of global energy demand, the production and use of green hydrogen and its derivatives are essential tools to decarbonize various energy-intensive sectors. According to the IEA-led Innovation Agenda Report (2022), investments in renewable and low-carbon hydrogen production must increase significantly to increase supply from less than 1 Mt in 2020 to 140-155 Mt by 2030, aligning with emissions trajectories in pursuit of the temperature goals of the Paris Agreement.

Source: les eco