The work will be completed under a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed by GE Vernova’s gas power business, Morocco’s National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water (Onee) and Nareva, a Moroccan renewable energy company.
The MoU will see the three collaborate on a feasibility study to decarbonise Onee’s 99MW Laâyoune power plant, which is powered by three GE Vernova 6B gas turbines and provides peaking power in an area where renewable energy production is increasing.
As a first step, the collaboration will focus on converting a gas turbine to hydrogen, delivering 100% hydrogen by volume to the gas turbine for peak demand periods. Assessment results can pave the path ahead for the full-scale integration of the gas turbines with green hydrogen, aiming to achieve complete decarbonisation of the Laâyoune power plant.
Abderrahim El Hafidi, chief executive of ONEE, said the pilot project would help Morocco move forward on the road to decarbonising its power sector. “This agreement serves as an important milestone in paving the way to accelerate the integration of hydrogen in the national energy mix, help the country become less reliant on conventional power, and reduce carbon emissions associated with power generation activities,” he said.
Nareva claims 2GW worth of renewable assets in operation, building and development. Its EEM subsidiary is working on the 850MW Tarfaya wind project developed by Engie and Onee, which comprises five wind farms in the Moroccan districts of Midelt, Tiskrad, Tangier, Jbel Lahdid and Boujdour.
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