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Green hydrogen: Morocco’s offering attracts investors

Morocco’s Green Hydrogen Offering is an ambitious national strategy aimed at making Morocco a world leader in the production and export of green hydrogen and its derivatives, capitalizing on its abundant renewable resources (solar, wind), its strategic geographical position and an incentive framework for investors.

Precisely what measures are in place to support Morocco’s efforts to consolidate its energy sovereignty through the production of green hydrogen? “The Moroccan offering is based on a comprehensive, practical and transparent approach, offering investors a clear vision ”, said Leila Benali, Minister for Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, during the oral question session in the House of Representatives. She added that “this offering will give a strong impetus to investments in renewable energies, water desalination and the production of green hydrogen and its derivatives, and will enable the development of the infrastructure required for this project”. This project covers the entire value chain, the regulatory and institutional framework, and the essential infrastructure program.

What about investment and the regulatory framework? According to Leila Benali’s answers to Parliament, a land base of almost one million hectares has been identified to implement the Morocco Offering, and 300,000 hectares have been mobilized for investors during the first phase. An incentive framework in terms of investment, taxation and customs is also planned, to support project owners in their efforts to bring their projects to fruition. At this stage, the pace of implementation of this offering is accelerating. Six national and international investment groups have been selected to develop seven green hydrogen projects, covering the three regions of the Kingdom’s southern provinces: Guelmin-Oued Noun, Laayoune Sakia El Hamra, and Dakhla-Oued Eddahab. This “reflects Morocco’s commitment to speed up  the transition to a low-carbon economy and achieve its sustainable energy objectives”, explained the Minister. The seven selected projects aim to generate around 20 gigawatts of renewable energy, including around 10 gigawatts of electrolysers, and to produce around 8 million tons of green hydrogen derivatives, including green ammonia, synthetic fuel, and green steel.

These projects encourage the intensification, localization and sharing of infrastructures, including desalination plants using renewable energies. This will make it possible “to reduce the cost per cubic meter of desalinated water, while ensuring the rationalization of water use and simultaneously contributing to the consolidation of energy and water sovereignty”.

The needs of these seven selected projects are estimated at an average of 63 million cubic meters of desalinated water per year.

This momentum in this sector follows the publication on March 11, 2024, of the Head of Government’s circular for the implementation of this offering. On Thursday, March 06, 2025, Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch chaired a meeting in Rabat of the steering committee responsible for Morocco’s Offering in this emerging sector…

Fatim-Zahra TOHRY

 

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