Green Hydrogen: Morocco’s Vast Potential Highlighted in London

The potential offered by Morocco in the energy sector in general, and green hydrogen in particular, was highlighted on Wednesday in London during a roundtable that brought together Moroccan and Scottish energy sector stakeholders. During this meeting, organized by the Scottish Africa Business Association (SABA), Scottish Development International, and the Moroccan Embassy in the United Kingdom, the Moroccan and Scottish sides reviewed projects carried out in their respective countries in renewable energy and green hydrogen and examined promising partnership opportunities in this area.

Discussions also focused on the possibility of launching joint research projects and establishing infrastructure dedicated to the production and export of green hydrogen, capitalizing on Morocco’s significant potential in clean energy production and Scottish technological expertise, with the aim of promoting investment and shared progress.

Participants in the meeting highlighted Morocco’s potential as a leading regional energy platform, thanks to abundant renewable resources and an ambitious national strategy to make the Kingdom a key player in the global green hydrogen market, as well as Scotland’s expertise in this field.

This roundtable follows a recent visit by the Moroccan Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Hakim Hajoui, to Scotland, at the invitation of SABA, with the aim of strengthening economic ties between Morocco and Scotland, particularly in the areas of renewable energy, agriculture, and training.

The President and CEO of the Scottish Africa Business Association, Fraser Lang, indicated that the two countries are considering establishing a roadmap to strengthen collaboration, particularly around green hydrogen.

Praising the dynamism and clarity of Moroccan projects, the Scottish official welcomed the direct exchanges with Moroccan stakeholders operating in this field, including the OCP Group and the Institute for Research in Solar Energy and New Energies (IRESEN), who were present at this roundtable.

Mr. Lang noted that Scottish and Moroccan universities have remarkable potential to strengthen their cooperation, particularly in research around hydrogen and renewable energies.

For his part, Murray Bainbridge, a senior official at Scottish Development International, stated that Morocco is increasingly attracting the interest of Scottish economic players due to its ambitious projects in the field of clean energy.

“It is impressive to hear Morocco’s ambitions and development plans in green hydrogen, green ammonia, and renewable energies,” said Mr. Bainbridge, emphasizing that these large-scale projects offer concrete prospects for collaboration between the two countries.

Scotland, he recalled, has significant experience in green hydrogen production, beginning in 2011 through several pilot projects integrating renewable energies into applications related to mobility, building heating, and industrial processes.

“This experience, drawn from our traditional energy supply chain, can be leveraged to support Moroccan projects, particularly in the design, construction, and maintenance of large-scale energy infrastructure,” he explained.

Mr. Bainbridge also emphasized that “Morocco, through close collaboration with its international partners, is building a solid ecosystem to produce and export green hydrogen and its derivatives to Europe.”

According to him, European investors see the Kingdom as a major player in decarbonizing their industries through the supply of green hydrogen and ammonia.