Under UNIDO assignment post TF/INT/03/002/11-68 Sahara Wind Inc. developed hydrogen production perspectives from wind and coordinated hydrogen applied research, based upon the results of the UNIDO-ICHET engineering report in its on-going hydrogen project development activities. Since efficient power transfers over long distances are currently only available for large-scale integrated projects worldwide, the prospect of adding a hydrogen production component in the initial building phase of the large-scale Sahara Wind Project “Morocco: Sahara Wind Phase I/Tarfaya (400-500 MW) on –Grid Wind Electricity in a Liberalized Market ” is quite relevant. As it was presented in 2005 to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the World Bank and the Global Environment Facilty (GEF), it provides an alternative that could enhance significantly the prospects and phasing of this large-scale project.
As its original concept developer, Sahara Wind Inc. highlighted the production of hydrogen as an integrated, complementary component of the Sahara Wind project. This component enhances prospective uses, perspectives and overall energy efficiencies of large scale renewable energy systems located in remote areas and operating in weaker grid infrastructures.
The development of sustainable energy systems through hydrogen applied research is likely to be relevant to the International Partnership for the Hydrogen Economy (IPHE) where the support of UNIDO and NATO opens broader perspectives linking the hydrogen economy to clearly quantifiable environmental, energy access and sustainable development objectives. Providing solutions to improve energy access as well as environmental security with the creation of an economic activity in a region witnessing high fluxes of migrant population is of utmost importance.
As a wind power conversion, storage, and large-scale project catalyst, hydrogen production perspectives demonstrated complementarities that the hydrogen economy can provide in the development of sustainable energy systems.
