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