Turkey Receives European Support to Compete with Morocco in the Green Hydrogen Race
Turkey has received a European grant of 3 million euros, equivalent to 3.5 million dollars, to develop its infrastructure for the production and transport of green hydrogen, under the pre-accession assistance mechanism to the European Union (IPA).
This funding reflects Brussels’ desire to effectively involve Ankara in decarbonization efforts, despite stalled accession negotiations since 2016.
The project is being implemented in cooperation with the state-owned Turkish company Botas, focusing on assessing the readiness of existing infrastructure, including pipelines and storage networks, to integrate clean hydrogen into the Turkish energy system. It also aims to prepare a technical roadmap to facilitate Turkey’s entry into the European hydrogen market.
This initiative comes as countries like Morocco and Egypt rush to establish their positions on the future energy map, with Morocco successfully implementing a clear green hydrogen strategy, supported by strong European partnerships and export agreements, giving it a significant competitive advantage regionally.
Despite Turkey’s strategic geographical location between Central Asia, the Middle East, and Europe, the lack of a comprehensive legal and regulatory framework in the hydrogen sector could stifle its ambitions and divert investments to more prepared competitors. Assessments indicate that Turkey’s current gas network is not yet qualified to transport hydrogen, necessitating extensive technical updates.
The European grant also focuses on enhancing the capabilities of Turkish institutions involved, from ministries and regulatory bodies to research centers and energy companies, aiming to bridge the gap in specialized competencies in the hydrogen field.
This step is crucial given Turkey’s heavy reliance on fossil energy imports, particularly natural gas, making the transition to clean sources vital for its future energy security.
