The European Union’s global quest for green hydrogen supply continues, with the bloc forging a new partnership with Egypt on Wednesday, Kallanish reports.

The parties said in a joint statement they view renewable hydrogen as a “key contributor to reducing emissions and ensuring energy security, while representing an opportunity for industrial cooperation, sustainable economic growth and job creation.”

The partnership seeks to accelerate the deployment of renewable power generation, described as a critical enabler of green hydrogen production and an essential element of the transition towards decarbonised energy systems. EU and Egyptian officials intend to facilitate and promote investments for boosting the production, storage, distribution, and transport of green hydrogen and its derivatives.

The deal translates into a broad cooperation, from financing facilitation to regulation designing. The parties vow to pay particular attention to integrate potential environmental concerns in the design and implementation of policies promoting the renewable hydrogen industry, primarily regarding the use of water.

The EU and the Egyptian governments say they will bring together industrial companies, regulatory authorities, financial institutions, and experts to facility policy development and industrial cooperation. That should help fast track implementation of projects and increase the use of renewable hydrogen, they add.  

It’s unclear, at this point, whether the proposed industry development will focus on providing green hydrogen to meet Egyptian and/or European demand. Under the REPowerEU plan, the EU intend to produce 10 million tonnes/year of green hydrogen and import another 10m t/y by 2030. The bloc has also signed hydrogen partnerships with Kazakhstan, Namibia, Canada, and Ukraine.