Doha – Morocco’s green hydrogen ambitions took an epochal step forward as Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch chaired a steering committee meeting in Rabat today, where five major investors were selected to develop six projects valued at MAD 319 billion ($31.9 billion) across the country’s three southern regions.
The selected companies include the ORNX consortium, comprising American firm Ortus, Spain’s Acciona, and Germany’s Nordex, which will focus on ammonia production.
A second consortium, formed by UAE-based Taqa and Spain’s Cepsa, will produce both ammonia and industrial fuel.
Moroccan company Nareva will invest in a comprehensive project encompassing ammonia, industrial fuel, and green steel production, while Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Power will concentrate on green steel manufacturing.
Additionally, a Chinese consortium consisting of UEG and China Three Gorges will establish ammonia production facilities.
These projects follow two earlier agreements signed in October 2024 between Morocco and France, witnessed by King Mohammed VI and French President Emmanuel Macron.
The first agreement partners Morocco with TotalEnergies, while the second establishes collaboration between OCP and ENGIE, encompassing five projects, including one focused on green hydrogen.
Each project will be allocated up to 30,000 hectares of land, with the government implementing measures to ensure proper use of public land through contractual frameworks.
The selection process employed a “scientific and transparent methodology” to guarantee balanced and sustainable partnerships between Morocco and the investors.
The initiative builds upon a government circular issued on March 11, 2024, which laid out the implementation framework for Morocco’s green hydrogen strategy.
The strategy aims to capitalize on the country’s strategic geographic location, diverse natural resources, and international-standard infrastructure.
The meeting was attended by key government officials, including Interior Minister Abdelouafi Laftit, Equipment and Water Minister Nizar Baraka, Industry and Commerce Minister Ryad Mezzour, Investment Minister Karim Zidane, Budget Minister Fouzi Lekjaa, and MASEN CEO Tarik Moufaddal.
The government maintains that the selection process remains open to additional investors interested in participating in Morocco’s green hydrogen sector development.
This strategic initiative aligns with directives outlined in King Mohammed VI’s Throne Speech of July 29, 2023, which called for a rapid and qualitative implementation of Morocco’s green hydrogen strategy to leverage the country’s advantages in this emerging sector and meet global investor interest.
