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.

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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.

H.E. Ms. Leila Benali, Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, in an exclusive video address, invited the three finalist teams to a meeting to discuss their projects and their vision for the future of green hydrogen in Morocco.

In recognition of their efforts, the European MED-GEM Network program will offer the winning project's candidates a week-long study trip to Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU) in Germany. Founded in 1743, FAU is one of the world’s leading universities in the fields of materials science and chemistry. Erlangen boasts a unique culture of innovation, and the university campus is surrounded by leading research institutes such as Max Planck, Helmholtz, and Fraunhofer.

Selected Teams:

• Team: Yassir Debbah, Rabab El Attar, Bouchra Zoubaa, Sofiane Chait, Oyewole Adebayo, Houda Ouqacem
• Team: Achour Youssef, Nady Soukaina, Bouffassa Abedessamad, Alaoui Idrissi Nouhaila, Tribiche Anour.
• Team: Soussi Achraf, Mounía Guetbach, Jnina Mariem, Hajar Tarchouli, Khadija Tnifasse.

Next Steps in the Schedule:

• July 8 - July 31, 2024: Project refinement phase, mentoring sessions, literature review, and data collection.
• August 1 - August 31, 2024: Detailed project modelling, mentoring, feedback and follow-up sessions.
• September 1 - September 30, 2024: Preparation of detailed project prescriptions, preparation of interim presentations.
• October 1 - October 7, 2024: Final adjustments and validation, preparation of presentation materials, rehearsals.
• October 8 - October 9, 2024: Presentation of projects to the jury at the "World PtX Summit".