Saudi green hydrogen developer ACWA Power signed an agreement with Tunisia to develop a multi-gigawatt green hydrogen project for European export.
Under the agreement signed between ACWA Power’s CEO, Marco Arcelli, and Tunisia’s Minister of Industry, Mines, and Energy, Fatma Thabet Chiboub, ACWA Power will produce up to 600,000 metric tons of green hydrogen per year in the North African nation over three phases. The company will also develop and acquire 12 GW of renewable energy generation capacity.
The company will set up 2 GW of hydrogen production capacity as part of the project’s first phase. The phase will produce 200,000 metric tons of hydrogen a year that will be sent through the SoutH2 Corridor, which will connect Tunisia with Italy, Austria, and Germany and be open by 2030.
Marco Arcelli, Chief Executive Officer of ACWA Power, said in a release: “We are excited to work with the Tunisian Government on this visionary project, bringing our expertise in renewables, desalination, and green hydrogen to build a bridge with Europe to help reach its decarbonisation targets. This project can also significantly contribute to economic growth, job creation, and sustainable energy solutions, exemplifying our shared vision for a greener future.”
Tunisia has been ramping up its hydrogen play. The country plans to produce 8.3 million metric tons of hydrogen a year by 2050. Last week, Tunisia formed TE H2, a joint venture with French energy giant TotalEnergies, to develop the green hydrogen project H2 Notos.
The project will generate green hydrogen using electrolyzers powered by onshore wind and solar energy. H2 Notos will start by producing 200,000 metric tons of green hydrogen annually, eventually increasing to 1 million metric tons per year. The hydrogen will be exported to Europe via the SoutH2 Corridor.
