Techno-Economic Assessment of Linear Fresnel-Based Hydrogen Production in the MENA Region: Toward Affordable, Locally Driven Deployment for Enhanced Profitability and Reduced Costs

Abdellatif Azzaoui, Mohammed Attiaoui, Elmiloud Chaabelasri, Hugo Gonçalves Silva () and Ahmed Alami Merrouni ()
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Abdellatif Azzaoui: Materials Science, New Energies, and Applications Research Group, LPTPME Laboratory, Department of Physics, Faculty of Sciences, Mohammed 1st University, Oujda 60000, Morocco
Mohammed Attiaoui: Materials Science, New Energies, and Applications Research Group, LPTPME Laboratory, Department of Physics, Faculty of Sciences, Mohammed 1st University, Oujda 60000, Morocco
Elmiloud Chaabelasri: Materials Science, New Energies, and Applications Research Group, LPTPME Laboratory, Department of Physics, Faculty of Sciences, Mohammed 1st University, Oujda 60000, Morocco
Hugo Gonçalves Silva: Departamento de Física, ECT, Universidade de Évora, Rua Romão Ramalho 59, 7002-554 Évora, Portugal
Ahmed Alami Merrouni: Materials Science, New Energies, and Applications Research Group, LPTPME Laboratory, Department of Physics, Faculty of Sciences, Mohammed 1st University, Oujda 60000, Morocco

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 14, 1-26

Abstract: The MENA region, with its high solar potential and increasing investments in renewable energy, is transitioning away from fossil fuels toward more sustainable energy systems. To fully benefit from this transition and address issues such as intermittency and energy storage, “green” hydrogen is emerging as a key parameter. When produced using simple and cost-effective technologies like linear Fresnel reflector (LFR), it offers a practical solution. Therefore, assessing the potential of hydrogen production from LFR technology is essential to support the development of the energy sector and promote local industrial growth. This study investigates “green” hydrogen production using a 50 MW concentrated solar power (CSP) system based on LFR technology, where the CSP system generates electricity to power a proton exchange membrane electrolyzer for hydrogen production for three locations, including Ain Beni Mathar in Morocco, Assiout in Egypt, and Tabuk in Saudi Arabia. The results show that Tabuk achieved the highest annual hydrogen production (45.02 kg/kWe), followed by Assiout (38.72 kg/kWe) and Ain Beni Mathar (32.42 kg/kWe), with corresponding levelized costs of hydrogen (LCOH 2 ) of 6.47 USD/kg, 6.84 USD/kg, and 7.35 USD/kg, respectively. In addition, several sensitivity analyses were conducted addressing the impact of thermal energy storage (TES) on the hydrogen production and costs, the effect of reduced investment costs resulting from the local manufacturing of LFR components, and the futuristic assumption of the electrolyzer cost drop. The integration of TES enhanced hydrogen output and reduced LCOH 2 by up to 9%. Additionally, a future PEM electrolyzer costs projected for 2030 showed that LCOH 2 could decrease by up to 1.3 USD/kg depending on site conditions. These findings demonstrate that combining TES with cost optimization strategies can significantly improve both technical performance and economic feasibility in the MENA region.

Keywords: “green” hydrogen; linear Fresnel technology; techno-economic analysis; MENA region (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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