UM6P, Argonne Ink Memorandum of Understanding on Green Energy Technologies, Water Sector

TThe U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory and Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) have entered into a cooperative agreement focusing on green energy technology and the intersection of water and energy.

This Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was formalized at a ceremony at the UM6P campus in Benguerir, signed by Argonne Laboratory Director Paul Kearns and UM6P President Hicham El Habti.

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Green energy technology

The goal of UM6P, a Moroccan research university, is to address both continental and global challenges, in particular the creation of the most powerful supercomputer in Africa – Toubkal. The partnership is expected to support innovation that will benefit Africa and the world. According to Kearns, the collaboration promises to push scientific boundaries for both nations.

El Habti stressed the importance of this MoU in promoting sustainable innovation, especially in renewable energy, energy networks and water management. The institutions plan to leverage their combined expertise to develop transformative solutions for local and global communities.

Over the next five years, the MoU will facilitate the exchange of scientific and technical information, including publications and reports, and encourage joint activities and meetings on technical topics. The focus will be on the exchange of scientists, engineers and specialists to participate in meetings and planning of potential projects.

Green energy technology will include advanced battery research, which is key to achieving net zero emissions by 2050, with a particular focus on electric vehicle batteries. Morocco’s phosphoric acid resources are promising for the development of efficient lithium iron phosphate cathodes.

The collaboration will also focus on clean hydrogen research, and Argonne’s involvement in the Midwest Clean Hydrogen Alliance (MachH2) will serve as a foundation for increasing the use of renewable energy in the US and Morocco. Artificial intelligence will be used to simulate and improve the electricity grid systems in both countries

Given Morocco’s urgent need for clean water solutions, Argonne’s comprehensive water testing portfolio will be critical. This includes innovations in clean water materials, treatment systems, sustainability systems, and the use of machine learning to solve water pollution.