News

Morocco hosts the 1st World Power-to-X Summit, December 1-3 2020

Pioneered by Sahara Wind as a regional platform dedicated to Green Hydrogen and its applications, the WorldPtXSummit™ triggered high-level discussions aimed at fostering new clean energy partnerships. Organized by IRESEN and the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), this virtual Summit gathered major investors, policy makers, innovators, industry leaders and research experts. Recordings of this event are available, with a full description at www.worldptxsummit.com.

Sahara Wind at MEDaysTalks, November 10-17 2020

Substituting the annual MEDays ‘Forum of the South’ of the Institut Amadeus in Tangier, Morocco, an exceptional on-line MEDaysTalks 2020 gathered over 100 high-level panelists amongst which several former heads of governments and 40 000 participants. Held under the theme ‘In the wake of Covid-19: responses, recovery and disruptions’, several sessions have been moderated by Khalid Benhamou, CEO of Sahara Wind.  Available for viewing, these can be accessed below.

Signature of an agreement for the construction of a first industrial plant for "green" hydrogen in Morocco on 10.06.2020 in Berlin

Upon unveiling its €9 Billion National Hydrogen Strategy, Germany selects Morocco for developing the first industrial plant for "green hydrogen" in Africa. Hydrogen is key for decarbonising steel and chemical industries as well as the transport sector. As Morocco imports over 1 Million tons of grey ammonia to support its global phosphate-based fertilizer industry, an opportunity arises to produce green hydrogen for ammonia synthesis from renewables, mostly wind energy. A Memorandum of understanding has been signed between the two governments to support this project.

Sahara Wind's HVDC scale-up of Africa-Europe’s interconnection presented at the 'Horizon 2050 HVDC technologies' Workshop in Brussels, February 4th 2020

At the invitation of the European Commission Directorate-General for Energy, Sahara Wind participated in the ‘Horizon 2050 power system and the role of HVDC technologies in a highly decentralised RES generation’ Workshop in Brussels. Based on actual developments grid operators and HVDC industry experts assessed the potentialities of applying further DC technologies in the existing electricity grid. As part of these prospects, the Sahara Wind project HVDC scale-up of Africa-Europe’s interconnection was presented during the ‘HVDC developments – perspective / implementation projects EEPR CEF PCI’ morning session. The latter was followed by a lively discussion on the future architecture of the EU’s highly decentralized Renewable Energy System generation, integrating DC transmission technologies and HVDC networks on a regional scale.

Sahara Wind moderates “Power-to-X for a cross-regional energy transition” at Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Brussels, February 17 2020

Is there a missing international link in the European Green Deal? Is it the right framework for a Power-to-X and Hydrogen ramp-up? Can EU climate targets be leveraged in the context of a Euro-Mediterranean energy transition? By answering these questions in a Workshop Panel organized at the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung in Brussels, a lively debate ensued. It involved the Federation of German Industries (BDI), the German Mechanical Engineering Industry Association (VDMA) as well as European industrial operators and their Morocco applied research (IRESEN) and Tunisia counterparts, in the presence of Members of the European Parliament and the European Commission.

Sahara Wind at COP25 in Madrid, December 2019

Showcasing Success of Renewable Energy Technologies Working Together, Sahara Wind was invited by the REN Alliance to present Global Wind Energy achievements. REN Alliance is a coalition of five renewable industry organizations regrouping Hydro, Solar, Wind, Biomass and the Geothermal sector. Its aim is to demonstrate how renewables can work together in different local, national and regional contexts to meet the world’s energy needs. Sahara Wind attended COP25 on behalf of the World Wind Energy Association.

Sahara Wind at MEDays, November 13-16 2019

The MEDays 2019 Forum on "The global distrust crisis: facing subversion and uncertainties” from 13th to 16th November 2019 in Tangier – Morocco, gathered over 4500 participants with several heads of state to assess the current state of play in global affairs. As a ‘Forum of the South’ of the Institut Amadeus focused on the African continent the “Global Energy Governance” workshop and the panels on "Energy & Power: Connecting the Continent, Improving Security, Financing Projects” have amongst others, been moderated by Khalid Benhamou, CEO of Sahara Wind.

Sahara Wind at the Paris Peace Forum, November 11-13 2019

The Paris Peace Forum is the annual international meeting for all actors of global governance initiated by French President Emmanuel Macron. As a global platform for governance of project, the Paris Peace Forum looks for solutions that help minimize international tensions: cooperation to fight climate change and resource scarcity, institutions to channel power rivalries and administer global public goods, justice to assuage grievances, and regulation to address inequalities and abuses of power. To reinvent contemporary cooperation with 140 countries represented, this high-level event gathered over 7000 participants amongst which 33 heads of state and governments.

‘The Sahara Wind project Atlantic trade winds powering Africa’s 1st Multi-Gigawatt regional transmission infrastructure’ presented at the Energy Law Group’s 6th Energy Event in Copenhagen

The Energy Law Group’s 6th Energy Event looked at the Sahara Wind project phased roll-out. During the ‘Energy and mining in Africa | Opportunities and challenges’ workshop, Sahara Wind demonstrated how transformative wind-desalinated agriculture, carbon-free iron-ore and phosphate processing are likely to provide a scaled, operational balancing to Africa’s 1st Multi-Gigawatt HVDC transmission infrastructure. Created in 1993, the Energy Law Group offers market leading advice to corporations, banks, state entities, regulators and institutions operating in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and beyond.

Sahara Wind presented at the Millennium Fellowship Initiative at the Mohamed VI Polytechnic University in Benguerir, July 12-13 2019

Organized by the Moroccan Millennium Leaders Association (MML) with the support of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation and the Office Cherifien des Phosphates (OCP Group), the first edition of the Global Energy Initiative brought together more than 100 young people from 12 regions of Morocco. Coached by opinion leaders, institutional officials and managers in a series of workshops under the theme of "Collective Intelligence for Sustainable Development", participants initiated this inclusive leadership program aimed at the South, based on shared and mutual support values.

Sahara Wind at the EU Sustainable Energy Week Policy Conference in Brussels, June 18-20 2019

In order to decarbonize the European steel industry responsible for 30% of the EU’s industrial emissions, 400 TWh of additional renewable electricity will be needed. This capacity is close to that of an entire country like France. Pioneering electrochemical technologies in Mauritania whose main economy relies on iron-ore exports, the Sahara Wind project provides a unique setting for the carbon-free transformation of iron-ore into steel. The European Sustainable Energy Week (#EUSEW19) enabled lively discussions over these issues. Sahara Wind provided its contribution for achieving the EU’s ambitious deep decarbonization goals by 2050, to meet the Paris agreement’s objectives.

Sahara Wind at the North Africa Renewable Energy Summit 2019, June 24 in Casablanca, Morocco

Sahara Wind’s scaled-up access to the Atlantic Trade Winds presented at the North Africa Renewable Energy Summit 2019. Feeding North African load centers from the Sahara trade wind-blown Atlantic coastline requires a High Voltage Direct Current Transmission line. The scale of Sahara Wind’s 1300 km point to point HVDC line enables regional industries to transition into a carbon-free age. From fertilizers to steel, renewable wind-hydrogen can sustainably transform the regions’ phosphates and iron-ore deposits. By pioneering these technologies in support of Morocco and Mauritania’s energy transitions, Sahara Wind moderated the NARES2019 opening session. Backed by recent International Energy Agency studies, Sahara Wind’s regional clean business cases were also presented during this event.