H2Pro and Gaia Energy to co-develop Gigawatt-scale green hydrogen project
Israeli company H2Pro and Moroccan renewable energy developer Gaia Energy announce the signing of a strategic agreement today during the UN Climate Conference (COP 27).
Under the historic agreement, Gaia will use a range of 10-20 MW-scale H2Pro electrolyzer technology for a demo project in Morocco, while exploring in parallel the use of H2Pro technology in a Gigawatt-scale system currently being developed by Gaia within the Kingdom.
The announcement comes amid the most high-profile climate action gathering – the annual United Nations Conference of the Parties. COP27 is being hosted by Egypt in Sharm El-Sheikh, where the topic of green hydrogen and its critical role in the net-zero transition features heavily in both official negotiations and side events. Green hydrogen has become widely accepted both as a key tool for decarbonizing hard-to-abate sectors and as a clean molecule for the storage and transport of renewable energy.
“Morocco, and the MENA region at large, are poised to lead the world in the clean energy transition by making use of our abundance of renewable resources and becoming a green hydrogen hub. By combining the power of Gaia’s renewable energy assets with H2Pro’s efficient and cost-effective green hydrogen production technology, we bring Morocco and our region one step closer to this vision,” said Moundir Zniber, CEO of Gaia Energy. “At the Gigawatt-scale level, we bolster Morocco’s profile as a serious player in the green hydrogen space,” he added.
The theme of cross-border cooperation over climate action is also a star topic on the agenda of COP27. H2Pro, which was chosen to exhibit in Israel’s first ever pavilion at a UN climate conference, came to COP27 as a champion of regional cooperation and with aspirations for the MENA region.
“Climate change is the greatest challenge facing our generation, and it can only be solved by reaching across borders with seamless coordination between the private and public sector”, said Talmon Marco, CEO of H2Pro. He continued, “We chose COP27 as the platform for launching H2Pro and Gaia’s partnership because this moment is not merely an achievement of two private companies, but rather a milestone in Moroccan-Israeli relations. It demonstrates the triumph of regional cooperation over climate change and is a clear indicator of the key role innovation plays in diplomacy. We’re proud today to be working with Gaia Energy to take our region to new heights as it assumes its leadership role in the clean energy transition.”
Minister Tamar Zandberg spoke about the importance of the government supporting the private sector when it comes to climate action. “No country, and no sector, and no one can do it alone. We are all gathered in this cause, and if we can use it for the sake of our children, we will be blessed,” she said.