ADNOC and OCI NV joint venture Fertiglobe has announced that Nasdaq-listed Plug Power Inc has been selected as the technology provider for Eygpt’s first green hydrogen plant, with ambitions to showcase the facility at COP 27 in November 2022.

The plant, which is to be developed by Fertiglobe in a consortium with Scatec ASA, Sovereign Fund for Egypt (TSFE) and Orascom Construction, will be a 100MW electrolyser, producing green hydrogen as feedstock for up to 90,000 tons of green ammonia production.

Plug Power Inc, a hydrogen fuel cell solutions company, will be its technology provider, Fertiglobe said.

Based at EBIC in Ain Sokhna, Egypt, the project will be the world’s largest independently owned facility of its kind and is the first phase in Fertiglobe’s green ammonia strategy, said a bourse filing to Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) today. 

“Egypt is an ideal location to produce green hydrogen given its unique renewables profile with strong solar and wind loads, and close to markets with a hydrogen deficit,” the statement continued.

“Green ammonia, produced from renewable energy such as solar and wind instead of natural gas, is a versatile product that is an ideal carrier fuel to store and transport hydrogen, and can help decarbonise numerous sectors which represent around 80 percent of current global Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, including as an important alternative fuel in the power sector in Japan and other countries.”

Nassef Sawiris, executive chairman of Euronext-listed OCI NV, said construction is to follow an ‘accelerated schedule’ to showcase the plant at COP 27 in Egypt in November 2022.

Ahmed El-Hoshy, Chief Executive Officer of Fertiglobe, said: “This is a huge step forward in our ambition to decarbonise our footprint to net zero by 2050, and simultaneously help our customers decarbonise.”

“Given the importance of green ammonia as a fuel for decarbonising the worldwide economy, we continue to look globally to establish meaningful partnerships in this exciting green hydrogen space,” said Andy Marsh, CEO, Plug Power.

Ayman Soliman, CEO, TSFE said: “The project reflects TSFE’s alignment towards realizing the goals of Egypt’s 2030 vision, which embraces the principle of a green economy as a fundamental element of the comprehensive development process.

“The commitment of the consortium to showcase the facility during COP 27 demonstrates Egypt’s proactiveness in taking concrete steps towards the global trends in energy transition.”

In a statement to NASDAQ Dubai, Orascom Construction said: “Orascom Construction is expected to execute local works in order to showcase the green hydrogen facility during COP 27 in Egypt in November 2022, highlighting the group and Egypt’s commitment to a greener future.

“This transformational project highlights Orascom Construction’s ambitions to become an integral player in the creation of the green hydrogen economy in the region.”

(Writing by Imogen Lillywhite; editing by Seban Scaria)

Imogen.lillywhite@refinitiv.com

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