Northern Africa

Elsewhere, the Fraunhofer ISE research institute has unveiled a new tool for high-resolution power-to-X kinetic analysis, and German entities have signed partnership agreements with the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company.

Electricity generation in the Middle East and Africa could soon support the development of an interconnection between Greece, Cyprus, Israel and Egypt. Ilias Tsagas examines the landscape for this infrastructure mega-project, and the possible benefits for solar.

Elsewhere, Scatec and partners have signed a memorandum of understanding to develop a large scale green ammonia facility in Egypt. Hydrogen developments were also announced in India and the United Kingdom.

Climate change ambitions announced by the governments of Egypt and Morocco are symptomatic of a desire for clean power sites with regional policymakers leaning towards auction-set payments for clean power, according to a recent webinar.

With fears over Europe’s gas supply tightening, the Australian government is forging ahead in the green hydrogen sector by launching tech incubator HyGate and awarding Volt Advisory Group cash to develop a renewable energy microgrid. Australian business Fortescue Future Industries and Europe’s Airbus will work on hydrogen-powered aircraft and Kawasaki Heavy Industries is making strides in transporting hydrogen from the state of Victoria.

A business based at a Namibian mine has signed a 15-year power purchase agreement which will back the construction of a 5.4MW solar project. Elsewhere, the AfDB wants to roll-out solar panels to provide electricity access to six million people across six nations over the next six years.

Fusion Fuel Green has developed a small PEM electrolyzer that will be used in a green hydrogen project in Iberia. Elsewhere, India’s Adani Group and Canada-based PEM fuel cell producer Ballard Power Systems have signed a memorandum of understanding to evaluate a joint investment in the commercialization of hydrogen fuel cells for mobility and industrial applications in India.

In a short chat with pv magazine, Mohamed Saady Dweik, the head of technical services and product management for the MENA region at JinkoSolar, spoke about the potential of TOPCon tech in the Middle East and North Africa region. According to him, the global demand for TOPCon products may exceed that of PERC panels within three years.

As research into non-rare metal catalysts continues, companies in northwest Europe are working on an offshore green hydrogen demonstration project, the first European data center to run on green hydrogen, and on hydrogen-based solutions for container transport. Meanwhile, European institutions are prepping for stronger hydrogen collaboration with Africa.

The raised ambition of an already huge renewables-powered hydrogen project in the Southern African nations vividly demonstrates the hydrogen and clean energy potential of a continent which accounted for just 0.5% of the world’s new solar capacity last year, according to trade body AFSIA’s annual report.