Metacon Launches 1MW Green Hydrogen Project in Morocco Using Alkaline Electrolysis

Sweden’s Metacon AB is making a bold move into North Africa’s green hydrogen scene, landing a €1.82 million contract to deliver a 1MW pressurized alkaline electrolyzer to a windy coastal site in Morocco. The announcement, is more than just another deal—it’s the start of something much bigger. This pilot project isn’t just about generating hydrogen; it’s laying the foundation for full-scale hydrogen production and the eventual export of clean ammonia by the end of the decade.

Wind-to-Hydrogen: Making It Happen in the Real World

Set to go live in the last quarter of 2025, the plan is to hook up the 1MW alkaline electrolyzer directly to an already-operational 200MW wind farm in coastal Morocco. Sure, 1MW may not sound huge, but here’s the kicker—it skips the grid entirely. That means fewer bottlenecks and a live demo of how you can pair up renewables like wind with electrolysis to get hydrogen production rolling in real time.

As one Metacon engineer put it, “This isn’t just about turning out hydrogen—it’s about proving the tech works in the wild. If you can sync an electrolyzer with a shifting wind feed at 1MW, scaling it up to 10GW is just a matter of time and ambition.”

The Power Trio: Sweden, China, and Morocco

Metacon—once a humble heat exchanger manufacturer before shifting gears into the hydrogen technologies space in the 2010s—has teamed up with PERIC Hydrogen Technologies from China. PERIC is a big name in alkaline electrolysis, especially when it comes to large-scale systems. These folks have been in the game since 1958 and currently command over a third of the global alkaline market.

On the Moroccan side, the partner hasn’t been publicly named yet, but sources say they’ve already got over 2GW of wind capacity online. They’re tapping into local renewables to jump into the green hydrogen game—right in line with Morocco’s strategy to secure 4% of the global green H₂ market by 2030. That push began in earnest with its National Hydrogen Roadmap launched back in 2021 and includes projects like the massive 10GW Dakhla wind complex along the Atlantic coast.

Why Pressurized Alkaline Electrolysis Matters

The tech behind it all is pressurized alkaline electrolysis, operating at around 30 bar pressure. What’s cool about that? At that level, the hydrogen output can be piped straight into infrastructure—no need for energy-hungry compression systems. That’s a big win, especially in off-grid or remote areas.

Efficiency-wise, Metacon’s setup is no slouch. It’s managing around 70–80% energy conversion at the 1MW level, which is impressive. That makes it a viable option for early-stage green hydrogen pilots without the higher costs or sensitivity of PEM alternatives.

Zooming Out: It’s Bigger Than Hydrogen

Morocco isn’t entering this field from scratch. Since the launch of its Noor Solar initiative in 2009, it’s become a regional renewables leader. In fact, the EU is already eyeing Morocco as a key partner, with plans for an €800 million undersea hydrogen pipeline linking the country directly to Europe. Metacon’s current project could be among the first bricks in what may become a massive hydrogen export corridor.

But it’s not just about sending hydrogen abroad. Much of that hydrogen may be converted into green ammonia, which is easier to ship and has a built-in market, especially in European fertilizer production. If things stay on track, this project could help Morocco hit its target of exporting 500,000 tonnes of clean ammonia per year by 2030.

There’s also a domestic angle. Analysts think the green hydrogen could help Morocco cut back on LPG imports—maybe by as much as 15%. And if the model works, it could be a blueprint for other wind-rich developing nations eyeing industrial decarbonization and clean energy exports.

What’s Next

For Metacon, this is its most ambitious move yet outside of Europe—and potentially the start of something much bigger. It’s not just a pilot. It’s a testing ground for a full-blown >10GW hydrogen production ecosystem just below Europe’s doorstep.

“What we’re witnessing,” said someone close to the project, “is Morocco stepping up as North Africa’s proving ground for real clean energy solutions. With world-class solar, wind, and a strong link to Europe, this is one of the few places where green hydrogen could hit serious scale and global relevance.”

So, keep this one on your radar. Not because it’s massive (yet), but because it’s showing us exactly where this clean energy story might be heading.