Algeria, which is ranked the largest country by area in Africa, wants to become, through the “hydrogen industry”, a regional energy actor in light of the international interest in “clean energy”, which is described as “future energy”, given its dependence on it as a futuristic fuel free of emissions to reach neutrality. carbon dioxide and climate change mitigation.
In order to embody energy sovereignty and preserve fossil energies for future generations, Algeria opened a “hydrogen workshop” by formulating a new strategy for the development of “hydrogen” through a ministerial committee that includes the sectors of energy, scientific research and higher education.
Hydrogen development strategy
The Algerian government commissioned the Ministry of Energy and Mines to formulate a “national strategy for hydrogen development” through a joint ministerial committee consisting of the energy sectors, energy transition, higher education and scientific research, start-ups and finance, in addition to the governorate of renewable energies and energy efficiency.
The Algerian Minister of Energy and Mines, Mohamed Arkab, explained that “preliminary information shows that Algeria has great potential, allowing it to have a prominent regional role in this field, through its availability on huge resources of solar energy, extensive and integrated networks for the transmission of electricity and gas, and large reserves of water, as well as great capabilities in the areas of research and development.
During the 26th edition of the Energy Day held on Saturday, the minister continued by saying that Algeria has “great potential and competitive advantages” that qualify it to enter the hydrogen industry, referring in particular to the availability of natural gas sources to support the production of blue hydrogen.
According to Minister Arkab, “Algeria enjoys a strategic location, ports and base facilities for gas transport, capable of meeting the local, regional and global demand for hydrogen, in addition to its long experience in the technologies used in this field, as well as the availability of technical expertise and design capabilities in the energy sector to contribute to the local manufacturing of equipment hydrogen production.
Experts explain the endeavor
Energy experts believe that Algeria can turn into a “reliable hydrogen producer”, especially that this “clean energy” has great prospects in Algeria, in addition to having the potential to export to Europe.
In this regard, the energy expert, Ahmed Tartar, highlighted that Algeria has several advantages and capabilities that allow it to move towards creating “green energy”, and thus play a regional role in this energy transition.
In an interview with “Sky News Arabia,” the expert explained, “Algeria, by exploiting its natural potentials of wind, solar energy, water wealth, and its capabilities in research and development, in addition to its partnerships with European countries, can succeed in this important energy industry.”
The energy expert explained the essential difference between fossil energy and that derived from renewable energies such as hydrogen, pointing to the need to adapt technology in favor of renewable energies whose production comes at the lowest costs and through a chemical process with minimal gaseous repercussions to preserve the environment.
For his part, the economist, Ahmed Swahili, believes that “creating an alternative, clean and environmentally friendly energy wealth is in fact an appreciation of Algeria’s great natural capabilities, in addition to being a real addition to the national economy in light of the energy transformations in the world.”
In connection with the “Sci News Arabia” website, Swahili highlighted that “Algeria can turn into a regional pole in the production of hydrogen and other renewable energies due to its availability of alternative energy sources such as wind and solar energy to push this economically important bet.”
In support of this idea, the director of the hydrogen department at the Center for the Development of Renewable Energy, Abdelhamid Maraoui, confirmed in a media statement that “Algeria can become a reliable hydrogen-producing country for the future energy.”
Marawi continued, “European countries cannot produce all the hydrogen they consume, but must resort to importing some of it to reach the zero carbon goal. These countries will choose some suppliers to import hydrogen. Therefore, Algeria can be a reliable producer.”
In recent years, Algeria has shown an increasing interest in the field of renewable energies, and to embody this endeavor a new ministry was established under the name of the Ministry of Energy Transition and Renewable Energies, to be installed last month the Supreme Council of Energy, whose tasks include the creation and development of new and renewable energies.
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