A windfarm in Morocco
EU bets on Africa as hydrogen powerhouse
Renewables-rich continent has vast potential as supplier to the EU and other regions, but project developers face multiple challenges
The EU aims to import significant volumes of green hydrogen from Africa by 2030 but faces competition from China, the US and the Middle East amid growing interest in the continent’s largely untapped renewables potential. The EU aims to ramp up its imports of renewable hydrogen to 10mt/yr by 2030. “A fair chunk, 30–50% of what the EU requires, will come from Africa,” said Mourad el-Yaalaoui, chair of the board at investment firm Public Ventures. “Nonetheless, Africa will not place all its eggs in the EU basket or any other single basket.” The new generation of African leaders are formidable strategic thinkers and doers, he added. “Africa has an interest in doing business with Europe, but the
Also in this section
18 March 2026
The second fossil-fuel price shock in four years can be a much-needed catalyst for investment in the sector
9 March 2026
Hydrogen has not stalled in the UK because the technology does not work. The problem is that the system around it does not yet move at the speed required
4 March 2026
Turmoil in Middle East reminds nascent clean hydrogen sector that its future prospects are dependent on global energy markets and geopolitics
25 February 2026
Low-carbon hydrogen and ammonia development is advancing much more slowly and unevenly than once expected, with high costs and policy uncertainty thinning investment. Meanwhile, surging energy demand is reinforcing the role of natural gas and LNG as the backbone of the global energy system, panellists at LNG2026 said
