Marrakesh, Morocco – The CBC Leadership Family made history as over 30 members and partners gathered with top decision-makers from the Euro-Mediterranean and Gulf regions at the Marrakech Parliamentary Economic Forum for the Euro-Mediterranean and Gulf Region on July 11-12, 2024.
During the event, the CBC officially announced the First CBC #TogetherWeAreStronger Consortium & Ecosystem venture in Morocco, featuring its Clean Hydrogen Epicentre, Go For Hydrogen Africa (GFHA). This marks a pivotal moment for the clean hydrogen transformation in Morocco and across the African continent.
The announcement was made during the CBC-hosted “Empowering The CleanTech Transformation in The Mediterranean Region #TogetherWeAreStronger” Black-Tie Visionary Dinner, attended by Hon. Gennaro Migliore, the PAM President 2021-2022, and former Undersecretary of State for Justice in Italy.
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM) is an international organization that brings together 34 member parliaments from the Euro-Mediterranean and Gulf regions to discuss and address critical issues, including regional conflicts, security, economic integration, and climate change.
A New Era for Clean Hydrogen in Africa
“The First CBC #TogetherWeAreStronger Consortium & Ecosystem venture in Morocco, with its Clean Hydrogen Epicentre, Go For Hydrogen Africa (GFHA), marks a pivotal moment for the clean hydrogen transformation in Morocco and across the African continent. We anticipate that Morocco alone will require 50 GW of electrolyser capacity to meet the country's clean hydrogen ambitions, with Africa requiring over 100 GW.
Morocco has a tremendous opportunity to become the Continental Hub of Clean Hydrogen, not only for production and export but also as a manufacturing center for clean hydrogen equipment, including electrolysers, refueling stations, and other renewable energy technologies such as solar panels, wind turbines, and battery storage systems. This can position Morocco as one of the leaders in the global clean and renewable hydrogen economy.
Clean hydrogen has the potential to drive economic development and bring prosperity to Morocco and the entire African continent, and we are here to help empower this transformation. #TogetherWeAreStronger!” said Mostafa Boulal, CEO at Go For Hydrogen Africa (GFHA); CBC Co-Chair for Morocco; CBC Co-Chair of Clean Water Hub (In Charge of Africa); CEO at COREAS High-Tech.
Global Commitment and Local Impact
"We at GFHA and our parent company Guofuhee are committed to helping Morocco become a manufacturing hub for hydrogen equipment on the continent. This will create high-quality jobs, drive the growth of other industries, and, most importantly, position the country as a leader in the cleantech transformation—the leader of the future.
With our Guofuhee Phase III Smart Factory Project in Zhangjiagang City, China, we have currently reached a 3.5 GW electrolyser capacity. However, besides our rapid expansion in China, we are also committed to contributing globally by setting up manufacturing hubs with local partners in Germany for Europe, the UAE for the Middle East, Brazil for South America, and with GFHA in Morocco for the African continent.
We believe Morocco (and other African countries) will have very competitive cost in green hydrogen (& derivative) production, so electrolyzer will be the first equipment required. But when hydrogen is available, besides exporting it to other market like Europe, we also plan to support the local market to use hydrogen. GFHA (through its shareholders) has great experience and know-how for hydrogen storage, transportaton, refueling station and applications like hydrogen vehicles to support the development of hydrogen industry in Africa.
We understand that scaling up technology requires skilled people. That’s why we will also support Morocco in building human capacity, from manufacturing industry engineers to installers, as scaling up capacities cannot be achieved without a skilled team behind it," added Justin Gu, CTO at GFHA; CBC Co-Chair of Clean Hydrogen Hub (In Charge of China Relations); General Manager at GF Hydrogen Europe.
A Platform for Transformation
"The Marrakech Parliamentary Economic Forum for the Euro-Mediterranean and Gulf Region was an extraordinary high-level event aimed at boosting business relations in the Euro-Mediterranean Region and the Gulf. The conference covered the most relevant industry sectors, from sustainable energy to Artificial Intelligence, underlining the crucial importance of public-private partnerships. With the participation of key institutions and business leaders from over 30 countries, it was an amazing opportunity for over 30 CBC Leadership Family members to convey their message about the importance of cleantech transformation in bringing economic prosperity to the region," concluded Ruggero Arico, CEO at RAMP Advisory; CBC Chair of Utilities & Energy Companies Hub.
The Context of the Marrakech Parliamentary Economic Forum
The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists recently highlighted that nearly one-third of global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions come from the food system, with 70 percent linked to agriculture and land-use changes. Climate change exacerbates threats to global food security, especially for farmers in low-income countries who lack access to high-yield or climate-resilient crops. As the global population is expected to rise by nearly 2 billion over the next 26 years, innovative solutions are essential to feed 10 billion people without further environmental degradation.
PAM stresses the significant vulnerability of its region to the impacts of climate change, which are worsened by the existing economic crisis. The Euro-Mediterranean and Gulf Parliamentary Economic Forum in Marrakesh on July 11-12, 2024, served as a pivotal platform to discuss innovative strategies to mitigate climate change impacts, foster regional cooperation, and address environmental challenges effectively.
This forum not only showcased the urgent need for clean energy solutions but also highlighted Morocco’s potential to lead the continent in the clean hydrogen revolution. It again demonstrated that our CBC motto #TogetherWeAreStronger is crucial in building the future together across stakeholders, industries, and nations, as we ultimately have only one world.
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