Risks of Morocco's green hydrogen plans

In this letter with SCIENCE's insights section, Hussein & Schuetze discuss the risks of Morocco's green hydrogen plans. In March 2024, Morocco released plans to dedicate 1 million hectares to green hydrogen projects. Although Morocco, along with other countries in the Middle East and Northern Africa, is right to invest in renewable energy, focusing on hydrogen will benefit Europe at the expense of the local environment and communities. Instead of perpetuating the region’s role as an exporter of resources, Morocco and its neighbors should explore renewable energy that benefits the local power grid and provides tangible benefits to local communities.