Under the leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI of Morocco and French President Emmanuel Macron, the Moroccan government and TE H2, alongside its partners, have signed a Preliminary Contract for Land Reservation for the 'Chbika' project. This milestone allows TE H2—a joint venture between TotalEnergies and the EREN Group—alongside Danish partners Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) and A.P. Møller Capital, to initiate preliminary studies for the project.

Situated near the Atlantic coast in Morocco’s Guelmim-Oued Noun region, the ‘Chbika’ project aims to establish 1 GW of onshore solar and wind energy capacity. This energy will drive green hydrogen production by desalinating seawater, producing 200,000 tons of green ammonia annually for European markets. The project marks the first phase in an ambitious plan to create a large-scale green hydrogen hub in Morocco. TE H2 and CIP will focus on developing renewable energy resources for the project, while A.P. Møller Capital will handle the port infrastructure and logistics.

As Morocco’s first contract of this nature, this initiative highlights the country’s substantial renewable energy potential and will support economic development. Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman and CEO of TotalEnergies, expressed appreciation to Moroccan authorities for their support, noting the country’s ideal conditions for renewable energy production. He emphasized Morocco’s potential to serve as a vital partner for Europe’s Green Deal goals, with TotalEnergies keen to support this vision.

TE H2’s CEO, David Corchia, hailed the agreement as a pivotal first step in a comprehensive investment strategy for Morocco. He affirmed the project’s role in advancing Morocco’s energy transition, industrialization, and job growth, while also positioning the Kingdom to supply affordable clean energy to Europe. Corchia highlighted the consortium’s commitment to collaboration with Moroccan authorities and stakeholders to drive this ambitious project forward.

Philip Christiani, a partner at CIP, praised Morocco’s pioneering role in global energy transition efforts. He stated that CIP is honored to join TE H2 and A.P. Møller Capital in realizing Morocco’s first green hydrogen project under the ‘Offre Maroc’ framework. Similarly, A.P. Møller Capital’s CEO, Kim Fejfer, expressed pride in supporting Morocco’s green hydrogen industry. Building on A.P. Møller’s long-standing presence in the country, he emphasized the importance of developing efficient transport infrastructure as part of the green hydrogen supply chain and looks forward to furthering collaboration with Moroccan authorities and the consortium.

The ‘Chbika’ project underscores Morocco’s renewable energy potential and the country’s strategic importance in Europe’s green energy goals, setting the stage for significant advancements in sustainable hydrogen production and economic development.