Scatec and its partners, OCI NV, Fertiglobe, The Sovereign Fund of Egypt, and Orascom Construction have selected Plug Power Inc. as the electrolyser technology provider for a 100MW green hydrogen facility in Egypt. The 100-MW Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) electrolyser will be the largest one globally once operational. Plug Power’s technology will be used to produce green ammonia from hydrogen at the plant, which is being built in Ain el Sokhna.

Scatec chief executive Raymond Carlsen said: “We are very pleased with the selection of Plug Power as technology provider to the 100MW hydrogen facility. This is a key milestone for the project, and helps moving the green agenda forward in Egypt ahead of COP27 in the country next year.”

Egypt is an ideal location to produce green hydrogen given its unique renewables profile with strong solar and wind loads, and proximity to markets with a hydrogen deficit, the developers said.

Nassef Sawiris, Executive Chairman of OCI NV, said, “We are excited to announce this key milestone in this essential piece of our hydrogen strategy. Plug Power is a leader in electrolysis technology, and this strategic partnership further solidifies our execution strategy. This will be the largest green hydrogen and largest green ammonia application globally. Construction is expected to follow an accelerated schedule to showcase the green hydrogen facility during COP 27 in Egypt in November 2022, highlighting Egypt’s and Fertiglobe’s growing leadership in the renewable energy markets and commitment to a greener future.”

The Egyptian plant is “a huge step forward” in reaching net zero emissions by 2050, Fertiglobe chief executive Ahmed El Hoshy said.

Egypt, MENA’s most populous country, aims to generate 42% of its electricity from renewable energy sources by 2035.