The Hydrogen Stream: H2 projects in Algeria and Mauritania under the spotlight

As Saudi-Algerian researchers report on the northern African country’s hydrogen potential, Denmark’s GreenGo Energy starts its 6 GW electrolysis hydrogen project in Mauritania.

A group of Saudi-Algerian researchers underscored Algeria’s ability to leverage solar energy across diverse regions, suggesting that ad-hoc programs like MedHySol and HySolThane could make the Northern African country a global hydrogen player with green hydrogen production costs as low as $4 per kilogram. “Current estimates suggest that the cost of producing green hydrogen using photovoltaic energy in Algeria ranges between $4 and $6 per kilogram, owing to its low solar electricity cost of $0.04/kWh,” said the researchers. The researchers also wrote in “Advancing green hydrogen production in Algeria with opportunities and challenges for future directions”, recently published in Scientific Reports, that Algeria could either use seawater or wastewater for the electrolysis, adding that local hydrogen production would increase local energy security and reduce emissions.

GreenGo Energy signed a deal with Mauritania’s government on more than 100,000 hectares of land near Nouakchott to develop a scalable project. “The Megaton Moon Project adopts a phased approach to scalability, ensuring alignment with market demand and supply chain readiness between 2029 and 2033. Full capacity will include 6 GW of electrolysis, 6.8 GW of onshore wind, and 6.3 GW of solar PV,” said the Danish developer in an email. Phase 1, set for completion by the end of 2029, will deploy 500 MW of electrolysis, 600 GW of onshore wind, and 600 GW of solar PV, producing approximately 339,000 tons of green ammonia annually.

European technology providers, project developers, producers, infrastructure operators, market stakeholders, and users active across the entire hydrogen value chain asked for continued financial incentives and a revision of European hydrogen rules “to bridge the gap between EU hydrogen ambitions and market realities.” The 17 co-signatories highlighted a large gap between political vision and market reality, non-competitive renewable and low-carbon hydrogen production costs, and underinvestment in infrastructure for producing and transporting hydrogen. 

TotalEnergies signed agreements with Air Liquide to develop two projects in the Netherlands involving the production and delivery of around 45,000 tonnes per year of green hydrogen using renewable electricity, the majority from the OranjeWind offshore wind farm, developed by TotalEnergies (50%) and RWE (50%). TotalEnergies (50%) and Air Liquide (50%) have set up a joint venture to build and operate a 250 MW electrolyzer near the Zeeland refinery, whose commissioning is expected in 2029.