Can Mauritania generate low-cost electricity and hydrogen through electrolysis?

Renewable Energy Opportunities for Mauritania finds that the country could deploy these resources at scale to generate low-cost renewable electricity and hydrogen through electrolysis.

Should Mauritania start a green hydrogen sector?

Source: CrossBoundary, based on bp Energy Outlook 2022. To fully capitalise on Mauritania’s energy transition potential, the move to establish a green hydrogen sector needs to be accompanied by sector-specific institutional and regulatory frameworks.

Can Mauritania export hydrogen?

The report outlines three possible pathways for Mauritania to export renewable hydrogen: shipping hydrogen to global markets in the form of ammonia; coupling existing iron ore mining with renewable hydrogen to produce higher-value direct reduced iron for export; and transporting hydrogen to Europe through a pipeline connecting Mauritania to Spain.

Can Mauritania produce solar and wind energy?

Estimates for solar energy and wind energy production in Mauritania vary, but all recent studies agree that Mauritania has enormous potential for both solar and wind energy because of its unique geography.

Could renewable generation capacity improve Mauritania's mining operations?

The report’s analysis finds that expanding renewable generation capacity in Mauritania could improve the sustainability of mining operations, which currently represent close to a quarter of the country’s GDP. These operations are energy-intensive, and mines currently rely predominantly on fossil fuels for their electricity supply.

Will Mauritania become a regional hub for energy exports and low-carbon iron industries?

Mauritania aims to become a regional hub for energy exports and low-carbon iron industries by 2040, and has adopted a holistic approach to its energy sector, including gas and renewables in a common strategy.