Challenging the status quo: Hydrogen as a catalyst for energy development in Africa

[Display omitted] •Africa has a large renewable energy potential and can be a center of H2 exportation.•Challenges identified include inadequate infrastructure, costs and lack of skills.•H2 production can attract investments and promote development in Africa.•Projects in Europe and Asia are at a greater phase of development than in Africa. Hydrogen shows great promise as a fuel to replace fossil fuels in vehicles, generate electricity, and power industries. This can help cut greenhouse gas emissions and tackle issues with intermittent renewable energy sources. In this context, this work addresses, through a review of the literature, the current situation of the use of hydrogen (H2) in the production of electricity in Africa. Technologies for H2 production as well as production potential studies in several African countries were reviewed. Based on this review, challenges and opportunities associated with the use of hydrogen on the continent were highlighted. The study concludes that the region could substantially produce hydrogen at scale, potentially meeting a significant portion of global and European Union energy needs in the next decade. It was also identified that, despite the enormous potential, few H2 projects have been planned for the African continent. The main limitations were identified as the lack of infrastructure, high production costs and the need to attract foreign investment. Using hydrogen for electricity in Africa holds promise for solving energy and environmental challenges of this continent, helping to promote the economic and technological development of this region.