Tunisia aims for the export-oriented hydrogen industry
Tunisia’s Minister of Industry, Energy and Mines Salwa Al-Saghir said that Tunisia has all the required ingredients for green hydrogen production. It should produce green hydrogen using its abundant renewable resources for both local consumption and export purposes.
She chaired a meeting (9th February ) at the ministry’s head office, with heads of the national energy companies including the Tunisian Electricity and Gas Company and the National Energy Control Agency. The meeting discussed various options for producing electricity from renewable sources during the next five-year plan (2021-2025). The officials considered green hydrogen as a potential alternative energy source for both domestic and export markets.
In December 2020, Mrs Salwa Al-Saghir signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Mr Norbert Barthle, State Secretary to the Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) to develop the green hydrogen market in Tunisia. Under the MoU, Germany would provide a grant of € 30 million (US$ 36 million) to establish a close partnership with Tunisia for developing green hydrogen industry and cooperate in the field of Power-to-X. Tunisia, which has excellent potential to become a green hydrogen producer, given its abundant renewable energy resources, will invest this money to further reduce industrial greenhouse gas emissions and make a successful energy transition. Mrs Salwa Al-Saghir said that the green hydrogen market is an emerging niche in Europe, and Tunisia wants to reposition itself on the back of its abundant renewable resources. Mr Norbet Barthle said that the agreement should help develop the green hydrogen industry in Tunisia, leading to supplying hydrogen to Europe, particularly, Germany.
This week, Egypt President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi met with Belgian delegation from DEME and the Port of Antwerp to for potential investment in Egyptian the hydrogen industry.
