Benguerir, Morocco – July 7, 2024 – The Green Hydrogen Morocco Camp: From Theory to Action concluded this Saturday during the hackathon with the announcement of the three finalist team projects that will continue with a mentorship program this summer.

Supported by experts funded by the European Union through the MED-GEM Network, German cooperation through GIZ Morocco, and IRESEN, these three teams were selected from the 40 participants of the inaugural Summer School, including 26 PhD students and 14 Master’s students, chosen from over 300 applicants.

During this #GH2Camp, the first of its kind on the African continent, participants faced a significant challenge during the hackathon: How can Morocco’s renewable resources be leveraged to create a sustainable, efficient, and economically viable national vision for green ammonia? Under the direction of Frank Wouters, director of the MED-GEM Network, the deliverables requested included a high-level spatial master plan for production and infrastructure, a techno-economic analysis for a Moroccan green ammonia economy in 2030, 2040, and 2050, a national research and development framework for green ammonia, proposals for safety protocols and regulatory frameworks for ammonia production, storage, and distribution, as well as an evaluation of possible applications of green ammonia as a fuel in Morocco.

Directed by Frank Wouters and Samir Rachidi, General Director of IRESEN, the jury, which also includes Hatim Ksissou, Head of Component Green Hydrogen Project at GIZ Maroc, and Raya Ben Guiza Verniers, Communication Officer of the MED-GEM Network and Hackathon Coordinator, evaluated the projects according to the following criteria: innovation and creativity, technical and economic feasibility, scalability and deployment potential, economic, environmental, and social impact, and clarity and relevance of the presentation.

The three finalist teams will undergo intensive follow-up throughout the summer to refine their projects, with mentoring sessions, coaching, and detailed analyses. They will present their final prototypes at the prestigious “World PtX Summit” in October, a high-level international event organised by IRESEN in Rabat, Morocco.