ORNX, TAQA, Moeve progress renewable and «green» hydrogen projects in Morocco

In late 2024-early 2025, the Moroccan government announced six large-scale projects would be successful recipients of the “Morocco Offer”, a scheme launched in 2022 to support the development of renewable hydrogen & derivatives production projects. Five investment consortia featuring domestic and international investors will commit $30 billion towards the six projects in Morocco’s south.

1. ORNX: three hydrogen & derivatives projects in Morocco’s south

ORNX is a consortium made up of international players: Ortus from the USA, Acciona from Spain, and Nordex from Germany. As well as signing an agreement with the Moroccan government to secure land in the Moroccan southern province of Laayoune (Arabic language), local outlets reported further project details this month.

The $4.5 billion renewable ammonia project will be one of three hydrogen & derivatives projects planned by ORNX in Morocco. It features 2 GW of combined wind & solar generation, a battery energy storage system, 900 MW of installed electrolysers, and a seawater desalination plant. In its first phase, 100,000 tons of hydrogen and 560,000 tons per year of renewable ammonia will be produced, meeting the needs of “national and international markets” .

The reporting also reveals information about the “Morocco Offer” process. Forty proposed projects led by investors representing 17 countries were submitted to the government in 2024. Under the terms of the Offer, projects will proceed in three phases: the signing of initial contracts for the seizure of real estate (six months or more), signing of contracts for advanced studies (18 months), and the signing of a framework agreement for investment with the state, launching the project and paving the way for the start of the implementation phase on the ground.

2. National utility, international energy giant

National utility company TAQA Morocco and Spanish energy giant Moeve have signed a preliminary land reservation agreement for a large-scale project in the Dhakla region, southern Morocco. As a leader in energy, water and infrastructure Morocco, TAQA will take the lead on renewable energy generation for the project, while Moeve will lead ammonia and e-fuels production (and marketing) at a site near the Port of Jorf Lasfar. Moeve is involved in several projects in and around Spain, including a partnership with Yara Clean Ammonia.