Morocco advances green ammonia to secure fertilizer production
Morocco holds three-quarters of global phosphate reserves and ranks as the top exporter of phosphate-based fertilizers. Yet its ammonia production, essential for combining with phosphate to make fertilizers, relies entirely on imported natural gas. Disruptions, including the Ukraine war, have spiked costs to $2 billion annually and cut output by 40% during shortages.
State-owned OCP Group counters this with massive green energy investments. It plans a $7 billion plant near Tarfaya, powered by 3.8 GW of wind and solar, to produce 200,000 tonnes of green ammonia yearly from 2026, scaling to 3 million tonnes by 2032. Desalination will supply water for electrolysis, replacing gas-derived hydrogen.
At Jorf Lasfar, OCP's key industrial hub handling 2 million tonnes of ammonia yearly, pilots test green production. Partnerships with UM6P and Proton Ventures build research facilities for hydrogen and ammonia. Benguerir hosts similar efforts with Fraunhofer and IRESEN, advancing pilot plants despite delays.
New hubs emerge under OCP Nutricrops' SP2M program. Sites in Mzinda (Youssoufia) and Meskala (Essaouira) aim for 9 million tonnes of fertilizers annually by 2028, half by 2026. The Chbika project in Guelmim-Oued Noun, led by TotalEnergies and partners, targets 200,000 tonnes of green ammonia for Europe using 1 GW renewables.
Europe seeks Morocco as a low-carbon supplier amid its energy transition. Deals mirror Germany's contract with Egypt's Fertiglobe at €811 per tonne. OCP ramps phosphate output to 20 million tonnes by 2027 while pursuing carbon neutrality by 2040, blending food security with decarbonization.
These shifts cut import dependence, create jobs, and position Morocco as Africa's clean energy leader in fertilizers.
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