Morocco is home to one of the largest solar power plants in the world and numerous wind farms. It is naturally, given its potential in renewable energies, that the country is particularly interested in green hydrogen, considered as a solution for the energy of tomorrow. With this in mind, the Mohammed-VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) is at the forefront of research on green hydrogen, produced from renewable energies.
Supported by the OCP Foundation, the UM6P is an institution oriented towards applied research and innovation with the objectives of meeting the needs of Africa and developing replicable solutions. The university emphasizes research around green hydrogen. This gas is obtained by electrolysis of water, a process that breaks the water molecule and separates the hydrogen element which must then be stored. It can be used as it is, in the form of hydrogen, or combine it with carbon to obtain methane, or with nitrogen and produce green ammonia, an essential component for making fertilizers. Hicham El Habti, president of the Mohammed-VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) deciphers for Le Point Afrique the challenges of research on green hydrogen.
Le Point Afrique: Since when has the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University been interested in green hydrogen and what are the areas of research deployed around this theme?
Hicham El Habti: We have been interested in this subject of green hydrogen produced from renewable energy for a little over three years. In fact, ever since this theme emerged. It started upstream, namely the mastery of techniques related to renewable energies, solar but also wind power. From there, we looked at the whole value chain: from the transformation of this hydrogen into other molecules to produce biofuels – for example, if we capture CO2 and add hydrogen, it makes biomethane, and all the way to the end of the value chain with the production of green ammonia. These are the lines of research at the university.
Morocco adopted a national hydrogen strategy two years ago. In June, the third conference organized on the theme of green hydrogen, the World Power-to-X Summit, will also be held in the south of the country in Guelmim, where the potential is greatest, in solar and wind power, but in fact almost all of Morocco has interesting potential through installed renewable energies.
We work at the university on the entire value chain, namely the reduction of the cost of renewable energy, but also on the question of intermittency linked to renewable energy, a phenomenon which impacts the functioning of the electrolysis. This intermittency can find its solution through storage. To reduce the cost of available green energy, the efficiency of photovoltaic panels and wind turbine blades must be improved. Research also focuses on more efficient and less costly storage.
What financial means are available and how are studies and research organised?
Several teams are working on this theme of green hydrogen in relation to the entire value chain, for example, on the materials used for storage. At a minimum, we will have around a hundred people in the various divisions: panels, electrolysis, storage, ammonia production, etc.
The construction of a second, much larger platform is also planned. This 10 MW platform will be among the largest in the world. The budget linked to these two platforms is already 50 million euros and will be financed by the OCP. The group announced a new green development plan last December, with the objective of producing 1 million tonnes of green ammonia by 2027. Today, OCP does not produce ammonia, but imports and seeks through research to position itself on development and production. Its investment in R
Within the university, from September, we will launch a 100% hydrogen sector, with a master’s degree. Currently, we approach hydrogen through the study of the value chain. We are going to take the different formations that were taking place from left to right to bring them together. Tomorrow, it is a question of managing this platform. The major challenge is that of human resources. We are starting now to prepare them.
What are the prospects for green hydrogen in Morocco?
Ammonia. OCP is one of the largest importers of ammonia worldwide, so it will replace part of its imports with green ammonia, as part of its carbon neutrality commitments. The company has made a scop 1 (direct company-produced GHG emissions), scop 2 (indirect energy-related emissions) commitment to 2030 and scop 3 (indirect emissions that are not under the control of the company). company) 2040. OCP is already beginning its decarbonization of the entire production chain, and in this context, it will be a producer of green ammonia, which will give it the opportunity to produce green manures. This green ammonia should represent 25 to 30% of the total ammonia used by OCP by 2027. Once this first step is over, it can ramp up.
This green ammonia can also have other uses, and in particular that of green fuel for maritime transport, often singled out for its CO2 emissions. If we stop at the hydrogen stage without going as far as ammonia, and if we capture CO2, for example from the chimneys of coal-fired power plants, and mix it with green hydrogen we will have ethanol, a biofuel. Its use can also be declined in light mobility. It is then necessary to develop a vehicle fleet and service stations adapted to have hydrogen cars. We are conducting research on hydrogen fuel cells.
