MED-GEM World Power-to-X Summit Side Event | Advancing Green Hydrogen Readiness in the Southern Mediterranean

     
09:00–13:00
Room Fes 1

MED-GEM World Power-to-X Summit Side Event | Advancing Green Hydrogen Readiness in the Southern Mediterranean

Side Event Agenda

At a Glance with MED-GEM: Advancing Green Hydrogen Readiness in the Southern Mediterranean

  • Date & Time: October 2nd, 2025 | 09:00–13:00
  • Location: Side Event Room| Side Event | Room Fes 1, World Power-to-X Summit, Marrakech

Background & Rationale

As green hydrogen gains momentum as a cornerstone of global decarbonization strategies, ensuring credible certification, infrastructure readiness, robust financing, and local value creation has become a critical prerequisite for market access and cross-border trade. Southern Mediterranean countries are emerging as promising producers and exporters of renewable hydrogen, particularly to the EU. Yet delivering on this promise requires not only abundant renewable resources but also compliance with international certification standards, port readiness, bankable financing, and socio-economic impact through job creation, skills development, and industrial diversification.

The MED-GEM Network, in collaboration with national and European partners, has been actively addressing these building blocks. Initiatives include the HYDROJEEL pre-certification pilot (INNOVX/OCP, Hinicio), port export infrastructure mapping, financing assessments, and local value creation strategies.

This side event offers a comprehensive 3 & 1/2-hour deep dive, combining structured presentations and an interactive panel. It will showcase MED-GEM’s field experience, highlight lessons learned, and engage regulators, industry, and donors in dialogue to shape the next steps for hydrogen project readiness and export pathways.

Objectives
  • Present financing mechanisms tailored to the Southern Mediterranean context
  • Showcase infrastructure and port readiness for hydrogen exports
  • Highlight opportunities for local value creation and socio-economic impact
  • Present key findings from the HYDROJEEL pre-certification pilot
  • Facilitate dialogue with institutional and private sector stakeholders on certification, trade, and investment readiness
  • Promote regional alignment with evolving EU rules and certification frameworks
Pre-Final Agenda (3:30 Hours)

09:00-09:30 | Registration

09:30 – 10:00 | Opening Session (30 minutes)

  • Florian ERMACORA, Head of Unit North Africa in European Commission DG MENA, Belgium
  • Ahmed Bouzid, Director General of Energy and Minerals, Ministry of Energy Transition & Sustainable Development, Morocco.
  • Omnia Aboukorah-Voigt, Cluster Coordinatrice Energie GIZ Maroc, GiZ Morocco
  • Yahya Zniber, Chairman, GH2 Cluster, Morocco
  • Frank Wouters, Director, MED-GEM Network

10:00 – 11:00 | Session 1: Keynote Presentations (45 minutes)

  • Financing the Emergence of a Green Hydrogen Economy in the Southern Mediterranean: Challenges and Opportunities: Adrien DE BASSOMPIERRE, Head of EIB representation in Morocco & Mohammed Aymen Moumen, Resident Loan Officer - EIB - Rabat Office.
  • Export Infrastructure & Hydrogen Port Readiness: Frank Wouters (MED-GEM)
  • Unlocking Local Opportunities through Hydrogen: Mustapha Taoumi (MED-GEM).

5 min Q&A

11:00 – 11:15 | Coffee Break (15 minutes)

11:15 – 11:45 | Session 2: From Pilot to Practice: Morocco’s Certification Experience & MED-GEM Help Desk Insights (30 minutes)

  • Morocco’s Pilot case study (INNOVX/Hinicio): Mustapha Taoumi, MED-GEM
  • MED-GEM Network’s Help Desk insights: Antonio Rodriguez Fernandez, Cert Expert, GiZ/PtX Hub

Q&A with audience (5-10 min)

11:45 – 12:55 | Session 3: Panel Discussion – Advancing Hydrogen Certification and Export Readiness (70 minutes)

  • Session 3: Panel Discussion – Advancing Hydrogen Certification and Export Readiness (70 minutes)

    Moderator: Frank Wouters, Director, MED-GEM Network

    Panellists:

  • Gaëtan DUCROUX, Policy Officer for Energy, Climate and Environment, EU Delegation to Morocco
  • Yahya Zniber, Chairman, GH2 Cluster, Morocco
  • Agustin Alonso, Co-Chair of MEDREG Hydrogen Working Group
  • Cornelius Matthes, Chief Executive Officer, Dii Desert Energy
  • Patrick Maio, Chairman & Founder, Hinicio
  • Antonio Rodriguez Fernandez, European regulatory expert at the PtX Hub
  • Open Discussion with the Audience

Open Discussion with the Audience (5-10 minutes)

12:55 – 13:00 | Closing Remarks (5 minutes) : MED-GEM Network, EU Delegation to Morocco