The 240-meter-tall Forbes International Tower will be powered by hydrogen and photovoltaic cells, making it independent of the grid.
Egypt’s “new administrative capital,” a city under construction on the outskirts of Cairo, is home to a hydrogen-powered skyscraper. From the start, the Forbes International Tower, a 240-meter-tall office building built next to the Iconic Tower, Africa’s tallest skyscraper, was intended to be environmentally friendly. Designed by Gordon Gill of Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture, the 43-story building will run on clean hydrogen, supported by photovoltaic panels on its front facade, according to CNN.
Powered by 75% hydrogen and 25% solar panels, the building is off the grid, according to developer Magnom Properties. Low-emission construction materials cut construction pollution by 58%. Meanwhile, on-site water recycling and treatment reduces the need for clean water, which is essential in a country with growing water scarcity.
Through these measures, Magnom Properties aims to remove more carbon than it emits from the building over its lifetime and become the first building in the world to receive a carbon neutral certification from the Future of Living Institute. Magnom Properties has signed agreements with Schneider Electric and H2 Enterprises to explore using LOHC technology as the building’s power source.
LOHC is an organic compound that absorbs and releases hydrogen through a chemical reaction and can be used to store produced hydrogen and transport it in a stable form from the source to the final destination. LOHC allows the current fossil fuel transportation infrastructure to be adapted to accommodate the new technology. After transportation, the hydrogen can be separated from LOHC and placed in a fuel cell to generate electricity. The agreement will help Magnom evaluate the design, space requirements and economic feasibility of using hydrogen for the Forbes International Tower.
Forbes International Tower will be located in the commercial and business hub of the New Administrative Capital. Cairo’s smart satellite city is committed to sustainability and is set to begin construction in 2026. Many of the key buildings in the project, which is estimated to cost $58 billion, have already been completed.
An Khang (Theo CNN)