Saudi-listed ACWA Power Signs Agreement with Tunisian Government for Green Hydrogen Project
ACWA Power, the world’s largest private water desalination company and a leader in energy transition, has officially signed an agreement with the Tunisian government for a groundbreaking project that will produce up to 600,000 tons per year of green hydrogen in three phases, aimed for export to Europe.
Memorandum of Understanding
The memorandum of understanding was signed by Tunisia’s minister of industry, mines and energy, Fatma Thabet Chiboub, and Marco Arcelli, CEO of ACWA Power. The agreement entails ACWA Power developing, operating, and maintaining 12GW of renewable energy electricity generation units, storage systems, transmission lines, water desalination plant, electrolyzers, and infrastructures to connect to the main pipeline.
Project Phases
The first phase of the project will involve installing 4GW of renewable energy units, 2GW of electrolyzer capacity, and battery storage facilities to produce 200,000 tons per year of green hydrogen. The hydrogen will be exported through the South2 Corridor, a hydrogen pipeline initiative connecting Tunisia to Europe.
Tunisian Green Hydrogen Strategy
Ouael Chouchene, secretary of state for energy transition, expressed confidence in the project aligning with Tunisia’s national green hydrogen strategy. The strategy aims for an annual production of 8.3 million tons of green hydrogen and byproducts by 2050, leveraging Tunisia’s strengths to create a more sustainable future.
Supporting National Strategy
The project will play a crucial role in supporting Tunisia’s National Strategy for the Development of Green Hydrogen and its Derivatives, which includes an action plan to export more than 6 million tons of green hydrogen to Europe by 2050.
ACWA Power’s Ambition
ACWA Power’s CEO, Marco Arcelli, expressed excitement about the project, highlighting the company’s expertise in renewables, desalination, and green hydrogen. The agreement underscores ACWA Power’s ambition to rapidly expand its green hydrogen portfolio, with projects underway in NEOM and Uzbekistan.