In Mauritanias wind-swept deserts and sun-drenched plains, a green energy transformation is taking root, with the country aiming to reshape both its economic future and its place in the global energy transition. Through bold projects and key partnerships, the Sahara Desert nation is driving toward energy independence and a meaningful role in the global fight against climate change.
At the heart of this shift is green hydrogen, a clean fuel produced using renewable energy. Green hydrogen has the potential to decarbonise heavy industry, clean-up fertiliser production and long-distance transport. However, the production process is energy-intensive, requiring substantial renewable power, and Mauritanias vast solar and wind resources, together with its close location to the southern shores of Europe, position it to meet this challenge.
With an estimated 400 GW of commercially viable renewable energy, Mauritanias resource potential exceeds the current total installed power capacity of Germany. This potential is focused on utilising green hydrogen production, in which renewable electricity powers electrolysis, the process of using electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen.
While hydrogen isnt inherently renewable, it becomes a sustainable powerhouse when generated with clean energy. Mauritania is ideal for large-scale, cost-effective green hydrogen production.
Hydrogen is the key enabler to export and produce large-scale renewable energy and to trade in both regional and international markets, says Khroumbaly Lehbib, senior advisor in charge of hydrogen development at Mauritanias Ministry of Energy and Petroleum.
