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Conjuncta To Develop Hydrogen Project With UAE, Egypt | |
| Sumita Pawar |
A report says the German investment company Conjuncta announced a new green hydrogen project involving the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and Mauritania.
Conjuncta said it signed a memorandum of understanding with the Egyptian renewable energy firm Infinity, the Emirati renewable energy firm Masdar, and the government of Mauritania to build a green hydrogen plant in the North African country, which is highlighted in the report.
The press release says that the plant will be northeast of the capital, Nouakchott, and will be able to produce 10 gigawatts of power.This amounts to 8 million tons of green hydrogen per year. Conjuncta said the facility will also produce ammonia or fuel produced from plants, and the energy will be used for exports.
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"Our country is determined to play a leading position on the global map of the green hydrogen economy in the coming decades. We strongly believe that the development of the green hydrogen industry in Mauritania will bring environmental, economic, and social benefits to our country and the world," said Mauritanian Energy Minister Abdessalam Ould Mohamed Saleh.
As further mentioned in the report, the deal amounts to $34 billion.
It means hydrogen can be used as an energy source when it is separated from water via electricity. When that electricity is powered by renewable energy sources, such as solar or wind power, it is referred to as green hydrogen.
Ammonia is a compound of hydrogen and nitrogen that can also be used for energy. Green ammonia is produced using renewable energy. Blue ammonia refers to ammonia, whereby the carbon dioxide used in the process is captured and stored.
Conjuncta did not provide further details on its plan to produce fuel from plants, but plant matter can be used for energy. One example is sustainable aviation fuel, according to the report.
Commenting on its importance, the report said green hydrogen has the potential to reduce carbon emissions since it is produced via renewable energy. Masdar, which is owned by the UAE sovereign wealth fund Mubadala, has shown significant interest in green hydrogen’s potential on the African continent. At the COP27 climate change conference last November, Masdar released a report on Africa’s green hydrogen potential. Africa is rich in sun and wind, meaning it offers possibilities for renewable energy.
Because Africa isn't as developed as other places, it might be hard to make green hydrogen there.For example, only around 47% of the Mauritanian population had access to electricity as of 2020, according to the World Bank.
Earlier this week, UAE Industry and Advanced Technology Minister Sultan Ahmed al-Jaber called for a faster transition to renewable energy. He made the remarks at an energy conference in the United States, according to the report.
The report concluded that the first phase of the plant, with a capacity of 400 megawatts, is "expected" to be operational by 2028, according to Conjuncta.