CAN AFRICAN STATES TURN GREEN HYDROGEN AMBITIONS INTO REALITY?

African countries are in a race countries are in a race against time to establish themselves time to establish themselves as renewables-driven hubs to supply as renewables-driven hubs to escalating global demand for green demand green hydrogen, reports reports Ian Lewis Ian

Green hydrogen production is becoming established as one of those new industries with a seemingly assured future in which African countries and their copious renewable energy resources are well positioned to play a

More than 50 projects have been proposed across the continent to supply an expected surge in global demand for green hydrogen and products that

Africa are Egypt, Morocco and Mauritania, all well located to serve European

Africa can count on local demand, as well as looking to export markets, with

Kenya and Djibouti also looking to put the industry and the interest develop-

Hydrogen is a feedstock suitable for everything from decarbonising energy-intensive industries such as steel and ammonia production to power generation, fuelling some forms of transport and concerns mean that its future is limited if traditional production processes, which usually require natural gas and produce

However, when produced using electrolysis powered by renewable energy, hydrogen becomes a low-emissions a versatile, green feedstock has prompted forecasts of rapid growth green hydrogen could grow sevenfold to 607m tonnes by 2050, according to by the Africa Green Hydrogen Alliance

Competitive Renewables

African countries think they have a of the pie, because they have access to able energy, at a time when the cost around 60% of hydrogen production costs come from energy inputs, Africa has a competitive edge in that regard provided us with the cheapest elecseveral African countries by 2030, much lower than the current mass to the $60-70 paid for an oil barrel,” said Ajay Mathur, Director General to Africa and that the continent could be producing 50m tonnes of green

As with talk of future investment in most African economic sectors, there are a lot of “what ifs” in the various regarding the potential of green hydrogen – investment in plants and the renewable energy to power them, and the availability of enough electrolyser capacity and other specialised tech- investment will materialise across the green hydrogen project pipeline, and way to countries that have tradition-

Egypt And Morocco Draw Early Investment

The report, commissioned by the and the African Union, is boldly titled may be high, but the industry is only at an early stage – according to research gen electrolysis capacity on its African where investment is already starting tegically placed at the meeting point of three continents and has already proved an attractive investment target for companies seeking to supply natu- that a country that has also invested heavily in renewable energy resources

Green hydrogen

and has a track record in energy distribution is also leading the way in green hydrogen-related projects lined up to establish itself as a global hub is a to supply existing local fertiliser plants the project, describes the facility as gen plant, which when fully developed to build a green ammonia plant in the

Another project lined up for the oped by Masdar and Hassan Allam Holding Group, which will produce tonnes of green hydrogen as feedstock for production of up to 90,000 t/year

Morocco is also capitalising on its link with European markets to The largest is the Amun facility, being which will be able to output 900,000 ergies-owned Total Eren is develop-

Mauritania Aims High

both export and domestic markets are also signed a memorandum of understanding with Egypt for a $5bn project

A more surprising regional rival to well-established investment magnets like Egypt and Morocco is Mauritania, which sees green hydrogen produc- tion as a way to take advantage of its copious solar resources and support industrial development, which is currently being underpinned by devel- largest green hydrogen project, the electrolyser capacity will be powered

Other big hydrogen projects in plan, which could reach electrolyser

South Africa Taps Domestic Expertise

ing expertise in using hydrogen –albeit the relatively high emissions, non-green variety – in industrial processes, such as synthetic aviation sition from “grey” to green hydrogen production, if it can tap sufficient quantities of its renewable energy resources, which are much in demand green hydrogen projects, prospects for a sector that could provide Africa with a much-needed economic boost look promising – if the investment keeps

Ensuring that happens was a major preoccupation at the Africa Green Hydrogen Finance Accelerator Forum, a meeting of African governments, renewable energy and green hydrogen green hydrogen in Africa, before the

Another project is being developed and Masdar – and German devel- lyser capacity, with Germany a likely

Activity in the rest of Africa is mainly accelerated development under the

“African governments in their economy, are competing with regions

These include the Tsau Khaeb initiHyphen Hydrogen Energy, which is hoping to attract investment of more than $9bn to produce 300,000 t/y of in 2025 if permits and investment are added reason for the sector to succeed, because it accounts for about 75% of world production of platinum, a key ingredient for making polymer elec-

Investment Drive Ramps Up

Djibouti and Kenya hoping to line up

“The energy transition will not succeed unless public institutions crowd in private capital for investments in the green energy sector in the developing countries and emerging economies,” the communiqué

James Mnyupe, Economic Advisor to the President of Namibia