Partners have begun the first phase of a green hydrogen project in Egypt that will feature a 100MW electrolyser powered by 260MW of wind and solar.
The consortium, called Egypt Green, is in the process of finalising engineering and technology choices for the full-scale 100MW plant with the aim of reaching final investment decision (FID) on the facility in 2023.
To prepare the consortium is testing the first and largest polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) electrolyser in Africa for the first phase of the project.
Egypt Green comprises Fertiglobe (a partnership between OCI and ADNOC), Scatec, Orascom Construction and the Sovereign Fund of Egypt.
The project location in Ain Sokhna has a strategic position close to the Suez Canal Economic Zone with the possibility of using renewable electricity to develop an industrial hub near global shipping lanes.
The hydrogen tie-ins for up to 100MW of electrolysis have already been installed at Fertiglobe’s two existing ammonia plants in Ain Sokhna.
The project is being built by Orascom Construction using Egyptian engineers.
Terje Pilskog, CEO of Scatec, said: “Today marks a key milestone for Scatec, but more importantly, it represents a breakthrough for green hydrogen production in a strategically situated region.
“It is an honour to work together with Egyptian authorities and our industrial partners on this project and commence the commissioning of the green hydrogen project in Egypt during the UN world leader’s climate summit.
“We see a massive green hydrogen demand driven by strong policy support globally, and Africa is perfectly positioned to take advantage of its low-cost renewables and strategic position.”