Arab News, Sun, Jun 02, 2024 | Dhu al-Qadah 25, 1445
ACWA Power signs deal for major green hydrogen project in Tunisia
Saudi Arabia:
Saudi-listed ACWA Power, the world’s largest private water desalination company
and a leader in energy transition, has signed an agreement with the Tunisian
government for a project that will produce up to 600,000 tons per year of green
hydrogen in three phases, for export to Europe.
The memorandum of understanding was signed by
Fatma Thabet Chiboub, Tunisia’s minister of industry, mines and energy, and
Marco Arcelli, CEO of ACWA Power.
ACWA Power will develop, operate and maintain 12GW
of renewable energy electricity generation units including storage systems and
transmission lines, along with water desalination plant, electrolyzers and
infrastructures to connect to the main pipeline.
The first phase will involve installing 4GW of
renewable energy units, 2GW of electrolyzer capacity, as well as battery storage
facilities, to produce 200,000 tons per year of green hydrogen, which will be
exported through the South2 Corridor, a hydrogen pipeline initiative led by
European TSOs connecting Tunisia to Italy, Austria and Germany.
Commenting on the announcement, Ouael Chouchene,
secretary of state for energy transition, said: “This project aligns perfectly
with the Tunisian government’s national green hydrogen strategy released in
October 2023, which targets an annual production of 8.3 million tons of green
hydrogen and byproducts by 2050. We are confident that this agreement with ACWA
Power will leverage Tunisia’s strengths, including its strategic geographic
location, existing infrastructure, and skilled workforce, to create a more
sustainable future for the country.”
The project will play an integral role in
supporting Tunisia’s National Strategy for the Development of Green Hydrogen and
its Derivatives, which was launched in October 2023. The strategy includes an
action plan to export more than 6 million tons of green hydrogen to Europe by
2050.
“We are excited to work with the Tunisian
government on this visionary project, bringing our expertise in renewables,
desalination and green hydrogen to build a bridge with Europe to help reach its
decarbonization targets. This project can also contribute significantly to
economic growth, job creation, and sustainable energy solutions, exemplifying
our shared vision for a greener future,” Arcelli said.
The agreement highlights ACWA Power’s ambition to
rapidly expand its green hydrogen portfolio. Construction is well underway at
the NEOM Green Hydrogen Project, a joint venture between ACWA Power, Air
Products, and NEOM, to create the world’s first utility-scale green hydrogen
plant, capable of producing 1.2 million tons of green ammonia per year.
Work is also underway on ACWA Power’s second green
hydrogen project, in Uzbekistan. The first phase of this project will be capable
of producing 3,000 tons of green hydrogen per year.