Cairo: The Arab Republic of Egypt and the French Republic have signed a significant cooperation agreement to develop, finance, construct, and operate an integrated plant aimed at producing green hydrogen and its derivatives, including green ammonia. This ambitious initiative is set to be located near the Ras Shoukair area, with a total investment of 7 billion euros. The signing ceremony coincided with French President Emmanuel Macron's ongoing visit to Egypt, highlighting the strengthening ties between the two nations.
According to Bahrain News Agency, the French company EDF Renewables, in partnership with the Egyptian-Emirati company Zero Waste, will inject direct investments amounting to 2 billion euros to fund the initial phase of the project. This first phase will focus on producing 300,000 tons of green ammonia annually. The entire project, spanning three phases, aims to achieve an annual production capacity of one million tons, fully financed by the project company.
Kamel el Wazir, Egyptian Minister of Industry and Transport, emphasized that the project is designed to support the state's objectives of providing clean fuel for bunkering and exporting to international markets. He explained that a preliminary feasibility study has been conducted to ascertain the basic requirements for the project. The allocated area for the project includes 368 km² for solar and wind energy generation and 1.2 million m² for constructing the factory across all phases. Additionally, a 7-km-long and 100-metre-wide electricity transmission route has been planned. The project company will also establish a seawater desalination unit to supply the necessary water for all phases.
Furthermore, the project company is set to finance and develop a 400-metre-long shipping dock with a 17-metre draft for the Red Sea Ports Authority, along with the installation of all requisite facilities. Kamel el Wazir affirmed that this project underscores Egypt's commitment to solidifying its role as a regional hub for clean energy and attracting investments in the burgeoning green economy.