Rabat – Morocco’s Research Institute for Solar Energy and New Energies (IRESEN) announced on Wednesday that it “successfully completed” the installation of its first micro-pilot green hydrogen production system.
The pilot project consists of an electrolyzer with a capacity of 20kW and photovoltaic (PV) solar panels. The electrolyzer used to produce carbon-free hydrogen from water will undergo tests in the upcoming days, the IRESEN specified in a Facebook post.
Besides producing green hydrogen that will be used to generate green ammonia, green methanol, and green fuels, the micro-pilot will train and upskill students, researchers, engineers, technicians, and managers from IRESEN, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), the National Hydrogen Commission and the Green H2 Morocco Cluster.
Credit: IRESEN
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Incubated in the Green Energy Park of Benguerir, the project is part of the “Power-to-X µPilot” launched by IRESEN and UM6P. It is set to advance sustainable mobility and renewable electricity storage in Morocco, using hydrogen and fuel cells.
As Morocco continues to invest in upgrading its already largely advanced renewable energy infrastructure, numerous recent reports have confirmed the country’s potential to produce green hydrogen at a low cost to meet domestic demands and even support energy security in Europe.
In June, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) reported that Morocco is expected to have the third lowest green hydrogen production cost in 2050, ranging between roughly $0.7/ kgH2 and $1.4/kgH2.
The kingdom ranked third behind China and Chile, placing it ahead of well-established players in the global energy sector such as Australia, Mexico, India, and the United States.
In recent months, IRENA forecasts have been buttressed by Morocco’s plans to increase its installed renewable energy capacity in the energy mix as well as its efforts to secure water supply for drinking and electrolysis through seawater desalination plants.
By 2050, Morocco is expected to produce 80% of its energy mix from renewable energies and reach net zero in line with the internationally agreed-upon deadline.
