Morocco signs $4.5bn ORNX deal to develop renewable-powered green ammonia hub, advancing hydrogen exports and national clean energy targets.
Morocco has formalised a landmark agreement with the international ORNX consortium to advance a $4.5 billion green ammonia project in the southern city of Laayoune, reinforcing the country’s ambitions to become a global hub for green hydrogen and its derivatives. The large-scale development will be established as a fully integrated platform powered entirely by renewable energy, combining wind and solar generation with advanced hydrogen and ammonia production facilities.
Under the project blueprint, more than 2 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy capacity will be installed, drawing on the region’s abundant wind and solar resources. This clean power will feed approximately 900 megawatts (MW) of electrolysers dedicated to producing green hydrogen through water electrolysis. To ensure operational stability and continuous output, the facility will also incorporate battery energy storage systems. In addition, a seawater desalination plant will be constructed to provide the purified water required for hydrogen production, addressing resource constraints in the arid coastal region.
During its initial phase, the complex is expected to generate around 100,000 tonnes of green hydrogen annually. This output will be synthesised into approximately 560,000 tonnes of green ammonia each year. The ammonia will serve both domestic industries and international export markets, positioning Morocco as a competitive supplier of low-carbon fuels. Green ammonia is increasingly viewed as a practical hydrogen carrier, enabling cost-effective storage and long-distance maritime transport.
The ORNX consortium brings together three international players: Ortus from the United States, Acciona from Spain, and Nordex from Germany. The partners have stated that their objective extends beyond a single project, aiming instead to establish a durable industrial ecosystem centred on green ammonia production for global trade. By leveraging Morocco’s strategic geographic location and renewable energy potential, the consortium intends to support the development of a long-term export-oriented hydrogen economy.
Beyond Laayoune, additional renewable and hydrogen developments are planned in Boujdour and Dakhla. These sites have been selected due to their strong wind and solar conditions, proximity to Atlantic shipping lanes, and availability of large tracts of land suitable for utility-scale renewable installations. Together, these projects form part of Morocco’s broader hydrogen strategy.
The investment aligns with the country’s national hydrogen initiative, known as the “Morocco Offer.” This framework provides up to 30,000 hectares of land per project and aims to mobilise as much as one million hectares nationwide for green hydrogen ventures. In March, Moroccan authorities shortlisted five investor groups to implement six hydrogen-related projects in the southern provinces, with ORNX focusing specifically on ammonia production.
Officials have emphasised that the initiative will stimulate industrial expansion, generate export revenues, and foster the development of a domestic value chain for low-carbon fuels. Morocco’s green hydrogen strategy targets the deployment of roughly 6 GW of dedicated renewable capacity by 2030. This capacity is expected to supply a domestic hydrogen market of about 4 terawatt-hours (TWh) and an export market approaching 10 TWh annually. The government aims to secure more than 4% of global hydrogen demand over the long term.
To accelerate progress, Rabat has approved hydrogen and derivative projects valued at approximately $32.5 billion and continues to offer generous land allocations to attract foreign investors. Parallel to its hydrogen ambitions, Morocco plans to raise the share of renewables in its electricity mix to 52% by 2030, with solar, wind, and hydropower forming the backbone of its clean energy transition.
