The Consortium of Fertiglobe, Scatec, Orascom Construction and The Sovereign Fund of Egypt officially started commissioning Egypt Green, Africa’s first integrated green hydrogen plant, at COP27.
The facility will deliver up to 15,000 tons of green hydrogen as feedstock for the production of up to 90,000 tons of green ammonia per year in Fertiglobe’s existing ammonia plants.
Egypt Green, owned, built, and operated by Fertiglobe, marks an important milestone in developing a green hydrogen ecosystem in Egypt and the broader African region.
Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, UAE Special Envoy for Climate Change and chairman of co-owner Fertiglobe, said: “The commissioning of ‘Egypt Green’ marks another important step in the journey to unlock the potential of hydrogen and its carrier fuels. As the world meets in Sharm el Sheikh for COP27, this project represents a practical response to the need to meet rising energy demand with minimum emissions.
“The first integrated green hydrogen plant in Africa, delivered in record time, shows what can be achieved when we collaborate around a shared ambition. Fertiglobe will continue to leverage its knowledge and experience in hydrogen and ammonia, to make low and zero-carbon fuels more available, as the world seeks a realistic pathway to a decarbonized energy system.”
Green hydrogen, which is produced from water using renewable energy sources, has the potential to play a significant role in decarbonising hard-to-abate sectors, such as heavy industries and global shipping.
You may like:
Green hydrogen research to push the just energy transition
Kenya to manufacture affordable fossil fuel-free fertiliser by 2025
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.
Terje Pilskog, CEO of co-owner and renewable power producer 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.”
Nassef Sawiris, Executive Chair of OCI N.V. and Executive Vice Chair of co-owner Fertiglobe, shared: “We are pleased with the launch of the first tangible project of its kind and the first integrated green hydrogen plant in Africa. It is a true milestone that puts Egypt and Africa firmly on the map as one of the best places in the world to develop a green hydrogen hub, thanks to available land, abundant renewable energy sources, the significant pool of skilled labour, and our location on global crossroads.
“We are pleased to have been able to show leadership developing a green ammonia production platform in such a short time frame, something that has not been achieved elsewhere. We could not have done this without the support of in particular the Egyptian government or without the collaboration with our industrial partners. We look forward to seeing the positive impact this project can have on the world.”
Never miss a story. Join our community.
Ahmed El-Hoshy, CEO of OCI N.V. and co-owner Fertiglobe said further: “This project is a significant further step towards our global decarbonization strategy and an exciting milestone for Fertiglobe, as it marks the first of many stages in the execution of our hydrogen roadmap. Adding the electrolyzer to our state-of-the-art ammonia facilities and infrastructure in Egypt, we are fully leveraging our existing ammonia production and global distribution infrastructure, including OCI’s Port of Rotterdam ammonia import terminal. We aim to meet the increasing demand for large-scale low-carbon hydrogen and ammonia, as the need for more sustainable energy sources becomes more urgent. Together with our partners in the project we are acting on this need and bringing the hydrogen future to life.”
Ayman Soliman, CEO of The Sovereign Fund of Egypt shared: “This project is a showcase of transitioning from pledges to implementation, delivering on Egypt’s promise to the world to create a regional hub for green energy and transforming the Suez Canal into a green corridor. We are setting a precedent with our foreign and local partners from the private sector by establishing the first integrated green hydrogen plant in Africa and Emerging Markets that caters to the growing demand for clean energy. It is a moment of pride that we will build on for future generations. Our pipeline of projects in the green energy field capitalizes on Egypt’s ideal location with its unique renewables profile and proximity to markets with renewables deficits to realize our shared goal of emissions reduction.
Have you read:
Exploring green hydrogen for low-carbon maritime shipping in SA
Namibia: Pilot projects to introduce new green hydrogen locomotive fuel
The project was formally inaugurated by Egyptian President, Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and the Norwegian Prime Minister, Jonas Gahr Støre,at an event at COP27.
