Saudi-listed ACWA Power has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Tunisian Government to explore the potential for a green hydrogen project.
The project would produce up to 600,000 tonnes per year of green hydrogen in three phases, for export to Europe. ACWA Power will be responsible for developing, operating and maintaining 12GW of renewable energy electricity generation units. This includes storage systems and transmission lines, along with water desalination plants, electrolysers and infrastructures to connect to the main pipeline.
The project will reportedly support Tunisia’s National Strategy for the Development of Green Hydrogen and its Derivatives, launched in October 2023.
The strategy includes an action plan for exporting more than six million tonnes of green hydrogen to Europe by 2050.
Ouael Chouchene, Secretary of State for Energy Transition, commented: “This project aligns perfectly with the Tunisian Government’s national green hydrogen strategy released in October 2023, which targets an annual production of 8.3 million tons of green hydrogen and byproducts by 2050.”
The first phase of the ACWA Power project would involve installing 4GW of renewable energy units, 2GW of electrolyser capacity, and battery storage facilities to produce 200,000 tonnes per year of green hydrogen, aimed to be exported through the South2 Corridor. This is a hydrogen pipeline initiative led by European TSOs and identified as a Project of Common Interest by the EU, connecting Tunisia to Italy, Austria and Germany.
Chouchene added: “We are confident that this agreement with ACWA Power will leverage Tunisia’s strengths, including its strategic geographic location, existing infrastructure, and skilled workforce, to create a more sustainable future for the country.”
According to Marco Arcelli, Chief Executive Officer of ACWA Power, the project can also contribute to economic growth and job creation.