Khalid Benhamou

After reporting on the Atlantic trade wind’s massive potential blowing over the Sahara coastline (for competitive desalination and green power generation) to Morocco’s highest authorities, he installed the region’s first wind pilot project in 1995. To access this significant resource on a regional basis connecting Africa to Europe he established jointly with ONEE the Sahara Wind Project’s 5-10 GW-HVDC transmission line Terms of References submitted for funding to the UNDP/GEF/WB in 2005. With co-funding from NATO later that year, he introduced green hydrogen applications with local stakeholders and commissioned Africa’s 1st 30kW wind-hydrogen systems at Moroccan and Mauritanian universities in 2012. By linking the trade winds-induced currents paleontological footprints consisting of 70% of the world’s sedimentary phosphate reserves (USGS-Index 2025) used mostly as fertilizers, he also identified (in a World Bank-funded study delivered in 2022) Essaouira’s deep salt domes deposit which can be used for seasonal Green Hydrogen storage. Connected to regional pipelines as highlighted in the ‘Morocco Offer’ for on-demand deliveries to Europe, Essaouira’s deep Salt domes will also leverage the decarbonization of Morocco’s massive fertilizer industry spearheaded by OCP Group.