The United States has taken a significant step towards promoting renewable energy in the Moroccan Sahara by announcing a $5.7 million grant aimed at facilitating a feasibility study for a transformative $4.5 billion green ammonia production project located in Laayoune. This initiative is part of a broader commitment to sustainable energy solutions and reflects the growing collaboration between the U.S. and Morocco in the field of green technologies.
The grant was awarded by the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) to a consortium named ORNX, which includes the U.S.-based firm Ortus Climate Mitigation LLC and the Spanish-German joint venture Acciona-Nordex Green Hydrogen. The formal agreement for this funding was signed on Tuesday in Laayoune by USTDA Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer Thomas Hardy alongside ORNX Chief Executive Officer Peter A. Gish. The event was attended by U.S. Ambassador to Morocco Duke Buchan III, as well as several senior officials from both the American and Moroccan governments.
This grant marks the first federal financial support directed towards this ambitious green energy project, signaling a critical milestone in U.S. backing for renewable energy initiatives within the Sahara region. It underscores Washington’s firm acknowledgment of Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara, further enhancing diplomatic relations between the two nations.
The ORNX consortium has been tasked with the development of an extensive green hydrogen and ammonia project in southern Morocco, aligned with the nation’s national “Offre Maroc” hydrogen program. This groundbreaking initiative aims to produce export-grade green ammonia for international markets, utilizing renewable electricity generated entirely on-site through robust wind and solar energy resources.
Upon completion, the facility in Laayoune is expected to yield an impressive 560,000 tons of green ammonia annually, thus bolstering Morocco’s ambitions to become a leader in green hydrogen and ammonia production. The strategic location of this project will also see the establishment of substantial production facilities in Laayoune, Dakhla, and Boujdour, further enhancing the region's economic landscape.
The announcement of this significant U.S. investment comes shortly after President Donald Trump expressed gratitude to King Mohammed VI for naming the newly constructed Tiznit-Dakhla expressway after him, calling it the “President Donald J. Trump Highway.” In a message shared on his Truth Social account, Trump expressed his eagerness to travel the highway, which spans 1,055 kilometers along Morocco’s coastline into the Sahara.
Under the visionary leadership of King Mohammed VI and with the courage shown by President Donald Trump, the Moroccan Sahara is poised to enter a new chapter characterized by peace, dialogue, and economic prosperity. This long-standing relationship between Morocco and the United States dates back to 1777, when Morocco became the first nation to recognize the U.S., culminating in the Treaty of Peace and Friendship in 1786, which established the longest unbroken diplomatic relationship in U.S. history.
As reported by northafricapost.com.
