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is more momentum and more investment, but Local industry
much will depend on whether policy measures are These factors point to one final route for
sustained and whether the expected cost reductions developing the region’s hydrogen
are realised. potential: rather than exporting
A further uncertainty is whether there will be
scope for global trade in hydrogen, or whether hydrogen, use it for low-carbon
hydrogen production will be localised. Countries industrial production in sub-
such as Portugal are concentrating on producing Saharan Africa itself.
hydrogen domestically, and see hydrogen as an
opportunity to reduce dependence on expensive Sub-Saharan Africa is the world’s most commodity-
energy imports. Some other countries, however, dependent region: 89% of countries there rely on
are actively pursuing the import route. Germany’s commodities for at least 60% of their exports. Adding
hydrogen strategy is blunt: “in the medium to long hydrogen to the list of the region’s exports may serve
term, Germany will import substantial quantities to deepen economic exposure to volatile markets.
of hydrogen”. The EU’s hydrogen strategy foresees As costs of green hydrogen come down, countries
at least 40GW of renewable hydrogen electrolysers in sub-Saharan Africa could instead use their low-
within the EU by 2030, coupled with a further 40GW cost hydrogen potential to develop competitive
developed outside Europe. industries based on clean production.
Even where hydrogen is imported, the costs By exporting low-carbon materials and finished
are prohibitive if it needs to travel long distances goods rather than hydrogen alone, sub-Saharan
to reach the end consumer. To be transported by African countries create far more added value and
ship, hydrogen needs to be highly pressurised, high-quality jobs.
chilled to -253°C, combined with an organic For this low carbon industrialisation model to
52 compound or converted to ammonia. These materialise, a change in approach is required, in both
conversion processes (and re-conversion at the the industrial strategies of national governments
destination) all come with an energy penalty and and in the policies of sub-Saharan Africa’s trading
therefore higher costs. partners. It requires governments to go beyond
The costs of transport, conversion and storage narrow thinking about how clean hydrogen can be
could be two or three times higher than the cost of promoted and move to a wider focus on how clean
green hydrogen production itself. Unless these costs production can be valued, including via international
can be brought down, this negates the advantage of trade. It also requires businesses to prioritise low-
producing green hydrogen in sub-Saharan Africa. carbon goods and materials throughout their supply
Consumers in Europe instead will look to domestic chains.
resources and hydrogen from neighbouring regions The development of the international hydrogen
connected by pipeline (such as North Africa and economy is still in its infancy. Due to its plentiful
Ukraine). solar and wind resources, sub-Saharan Africa
has the potential to be
an important actor in
low-carbon hydrogen.
However, the barriers
to exporting hydrogen
as a raw commodity are
high. Instead, attention
should shift to how the
region can make use
of its green hydrogen
resources to power its own
economic and industrial
development.
(Source: Energy Monitor)

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