Background
The $40 billion green hydrogen AMAN project in Mauritania (north west Africa) will be one of the largest of its kind in Africa. The 18 GW of wind capacity and 12 GW of solar capacity will generate sufficient electricity to produce an estimated 1.7 million tons of green hydrogen or 10 million tons of green ammonia, annually. The project proposals involve desalination, hydrogen production, ammonia production and shipping facilities. Green hydrogen is produced by splitting water by electrolysis, and can be used as a fuel or to produce green ammonia, which is the main constituent of fertilizer production.
Scope of services
RSK Biocensus is working with RSK International Projects Group on the early works programme for this renewable energy project in Mauritania. A screening study identified potentially important ornithological constraints including protected areas along the coastline, and the East Atlantic and Mediterranean/Black Sea flyways for migratory birds. We concluded that further primary data needed gathering, including on migratory birds, to inform future ornithological surveys and provide baseline data for any subsequent impact assessment.
Our work included:
- Vantage Point survey visits between August and November 2022.
- A detailed review of available data on features of ornithological value in the region and nationally, to provide context to the primary data we collected.
- Reporting on baseline ornithological data.
We will identify ornithological features of potential relevance within the geographical scope of the AMAN renewable energy development at the earliest stage possible, provide initial field data to inform the assessment of potential impacts on passage and wintering bird populations, and guide recommendations for further ornithological surveys.
Impact
Our initial surveys will help assess potential impacts of the AMAN renewable energy project on local bird populations, identifying potential ornithological constraints and any need for further monitoring.