Morocco’s 560,000-Ton Green Ammonia Project Advances to Pre-FEED

ORNX Green Hydrogen’s planned ammonia project in Morocco has moved into preliminary engineering, another step toward determining whether the 560,000-ton-a-year facility is technically and financially viable.

U.S. engineering group KBR said on August 12 that ORNX had selected it to conduct pre-front-end engineering and design (pre-FEED) studies for the project in the Laâyoune region. The planned facility would use 900 MW of electrolyzers.

KBR will also provide its ammonia production technology. The study is funded by the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), which announced its support for the project in late July. The amount of funding was not disclosed.

KBR will work with GE Vernova, Electric Hydrogen and Terabase. The study will assess electricity supply options, determine equipment sizing and develop financial projections and economic models for the project.

“KBR is proud to support ORNX and USTDA on this important low cost ammonia initiative in Morocco,” said Jay Ibrahim, president of KBR Sustainable Technology Solutions. He said the company’s ammonia technology expertise could help developers accelerate project development, optimize plant performance and reduce execution risks.

The project is part of Morocco’s Green Hydrogen Offer. In March 2025, the government selected five investors to develop six projects in the country’s southern regions, representing 319 billion dirhams, or about $34.5 billion, in announced investment.

The ORNX consortium, which brings together Ortus, Acciona and Nordex, was among the groups selected.

In February 2026, the projects reached another milestone with the start of the land reservation process. Morocco has identified nearly 1 million hectares for the green hydrogen industry, with 300,000 hectares set to be made available gradually.

For ORNX, the pre-FEED study should now provide a clearer picture of the project’s technical requirements and economics. Progression to FEED and then a final investment decision will be the next key milestones in determining whether the project moves toward construction.

Those steps will also provide a clearer measure of how Morocco’s broader green hydrogen ambitions translate from announced investment plans into projects that reach implementation.