Australian industrial group Fortescue, led by billionaire Andrew Forrest, is developing an ambitious project to transform Morocco into a green energy bridge between Africa and Europe. The initiative aims to establish 100 gigawatts (GW) of solar and wind capacity in North Africa, capable of supplying Europe with up to 500 terawatt-hours (TWh) annually—equivalent to Germany’s entire yearly electricity consumption.
The project envisions harnessing the Sahara’s intense solar radiation and the region’s powerful winds to generate clean electricity that would be stored or converted to green hydrogen, then transported to Europe via high-capacity submarine cables. This network would provide stable, continuous power supply while enhancing the European Union’s energy security.
Morocco is positioned as a key player in implementing this energy vision, building on its renewable energy experience demonstrated by projects like Noor Ouarzazate and the Xlinks partnership with the United Kingdom. In 2023, Fortescue signed an agreement with Belgian group Jan De Nul to explore establishing submarine cable manufacturing plants in Morocco, strengthening industrial sovereignty and reducing logistical costs.
Additionally, Fortescue has formed a strategic alliance with OCP Group, the world’s leading fertilizer producer, to develop green ammonia and fertilizers from renewable hydrogen, supported by a research and development center planned for Marrakech.
While the exact interconnection routes are still being determined, Forrest has mentioned several transit options through Western Europe, with a direct Morocco-UK link also under consideration.
The initiative goes beyond electricity supply, opening possibilities for sustainable industrial cooperation, skilled job creation, and establishing a new energy paradigm between North and South. Morocco could thus become a green bridge between continents, at the forefront of an interconnected, resilient energy future.