Green hydrogen: when Morocco’s “energy transition” expands into the occupied Western Sahara

Solidmar, 24/1/2026

Presented as a pillar of the energy transition and a driver of future growth, green hydrogen has become one of Morocco’s new strategic priorities. Through spectacular announcements and promises of massive investments, Rabat highlights its solar and wind potential to position itself as a supplier of “clean” energy to Europe. Yet behind this virtuous narrative lies a far less reassuring reality: a central share of these projects is planned in the occupied Western Sahara, a non-self-governing territory according to the United Nations, whose people have never been consulted.

The regions of El Aaiun-Saqiyat El Hamra and Dakhla-Oued Eddahab, incorporated by Morocco into its so-called “Southern Provinces”, now host several of the green hydrogen megaprojects approved under the “Morocco Offer”. This choice is not neutral. It fits into a long-standing pattern of exploiting the natural resources of Western Sahara —phosphates, fisheries and renewable energy— for the benefit of the Moroccan economy and foreign partners, in violation of international law, which requires the consent of the Sahrawi people.

Environmental rhetoric here serves as a new cover for a process of predation and normalization of the occupation. Western Sahara provides exactly what green hydrogen industrial actors are seeking: vast land areas, strong winds, high solar irradiation and strategic maritime access to Europe. These advantages are mobilized to attract investors, at the cost of completely erasing the Sahrawi issue from official narratives on the energy transition.

This headlong rush also takes place within a broader African context marked by the structural limitations of the green hydrogen sector. Despite hundreds of billions of dollars announced across the continent, most projects remain political showcases: the absence of guaranteed markets, exorbitant infrastructure costs, water scarcity and technological dependence on the Global North. Far from being a miracle solution, green hydrogen risks becoming a new form of green extractivism, geared toward export rather than the energy needs of local populations.

In the case of Western Sahara, these projects raise a fundamental question: can there be a just energy transition on an occupied territory? Without the consent of the Sahrawi people, green hydrogen appears less as a promise for the future than as a new instrument of dispossession, repainted in the colors of climate action and “green growth”. A transition that, once again, is being built without —and against— those most directly concerned.

Green Hydrogen: Fact Sheet

1. Definition and Classification

Hydrogen is classified by colour according to its production process and carbon footprint. These categories are distinct and parallel.

Precise Definition of Green Hydrogen:

Hydrogen produced by water electrolysis (separation of H₂O into H₂ and O₂) using exclusively renewable electricity (solar, wind, hydro, geothermal). It is the only category that guarantees zero CO₂ emissions linked to production.

2. Technical Characteristics

• Process: Water electrolysis (technologies: Alkaline, PEM, SOEC).
• Energy source: 100% certified renewable electricity.
• CO₂ emissions: Zero during production (near-zero full lifecycle if the supply chain is decarbonized).
• Calorific value: 33.3 kWh/kg (LHV) – High mass energy density.
• Forms: Gaseous (compressed at 350-700 bar), liquefied (-253°C), or chemical vector (ammonia, LOHC).
• Main applications:
• Heavy industry: Replacement for grey H₂ in refining, ammonia production, steelmaking (direct iron reduction).
• Mobility: Fuel cells for heavy transport (trucks, trains, maritime).
• Energy storage: Utilization of renewable electricity surpluses.
• Grid injection: Blending into natural gas networks (Power-to-Gas).

3. Global Production and Distribution (2023-2024)

• Installed electrolyser capacity: ~1.5 GW at end of 2023.
• Volume of green H₂ produced: Approximately 180,000 tonnes/year.
• Share of total hydrogen production: < 1% (global production is still dominated by >95% grey hydrogen).
• Geographical distribution of major projects:
• Europe: Leader in announced projects (Germany, Spain, Netherlands, France). EU target: 10 Mt/year by 2030.
• China: Largest current producer (capacity >300 MW), driving down electrolyser costs.
• United States: Accelerated growth via the Inflation Reduction Act (subsidies up to $3/kg).
• Middle East: "Gigafuel" projects for export (e.g., NEOM in Saudi Arabia: 4 GW).
• Australia & South America (Chile, Brazil): Focus on export via strong low-cost renewable energy potential.

4. Key Challenges

• Production cost: Currently $3 to $7/kg. The goal is to go below $2/kg by 2030 through economies of scale and falling renewable energy costs.
• Infrastructure: Need to develop transport networks (adapted pipelines, ships) and storage.
• Overall efficiency: Significant energy losses (electrolysis ~70-80% efficiency, + liquefaction/transport).
• Water: Need for ultra-pure water (~9 litres per kg of H₂) – challenge in arid regions.
• Certification: Implementation of guarantees of origin systems to trace renewable electricity.

5. Outlook (IEA & Hydrogen Council Scenarios)

• 2030: Target of 50-100 GW of electrolyser capacity for production of ~10 million tonnes/year (around 10% of the total H₂ market).
• 2050 (Carbon Neutrality): Green hydrogen would become the dominant form, with potential production of 500 to 800 million tonnes/year, essential for decarbonizing industry and transport.

Sources: International Energy Agency (IEA) – Hydrogen Report 2023, Hydrogen Council, European Commission, BloombergNEF.