The Egyptian Government plans to build a green hydrogen plant in South Sinai worth $17bn.
The Investment Opportunities Platform of the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones in Egypt has launched the project.
While details on the project are thin, local reports state it will require 127 square kilometres and could produce up to 400,000 tonnes of green hydrogen per year (tpa).
A 3.1GW solar array, supported by pumped hydro storage, would power electrolysers during the day while simultaneously pumping water to a mountain-top reservoir. At night, the stored water would flow downhill, driving electricity-generating turbines to ensure continuous, round-the-clock operations.
The first phase is expected to be completed in 2030, the second in 2033 and the third in 2035.
Additionally, the $17bn plant will potentially export hydrogen to Europe via ships on the Suez Canal.
Africa’s hydrogen ambitions held back by regulatory gaps: EIC
Up to 41 green hydrogen projects are expected to enter development in Africa over the next five years, although not one initiative on the continent has yet reached final investment decision (FID).
In its Africa OPEX Report, the Energy Industries Council (EIC) highlights that, despite Africa’s vast renewable energy potential and promising outlook, the continent continues to grapple with securing reliable offtake agreements, developing a comprehensive regulatory framework, and constructing resilient infrastructure.
Africa is poised to become a key supplier of hydrogen to Europe as efforts intensify to reduce reliance on Russian gas. According to the report, 61.1 GW of renewable energy capacity is already operational across the continent, and under the REPowerEU Plan, Europe aims to import 10 million tonnes of green hydrogen annually from Africa.
In Sub-Saharan Africa, countries like Namibia are leading with large-scale projects, including Hyphen Hydrogen Energy’s 3GW initiative, and in the north Mauritania’s Aman and Nour projects are set to produce 40GW of power for hydrogen production.
Furthermore, countries strategically located for exports into Europe, such as Tunisia and Algeria, are set to be part of the 3,300km Southern Hydrogen Corridor – which will import four million tonnes of green hydrogen yearly into the continent.
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