North Africa: North Africa's Green Hydrogen Exports to Europe Could Harm Water Supply and Marine Life - Study

What the report says

A November 2026 analysis republished by AllAfrica from The Conversation Africa argues that North Africa’s push to export green hydrogen to Europe could create major local water and marine risks. The piece focuses on proposed and early-stage hydrogen projects in Morocco, Algeria and Egypt, which are positioning themselves to supply European markets as the European Union seeks large-scale imports of renewable hydrogen by 2030.

The article says green hydrogen is produced using renewable electricity to split water, but that large industrial plants in dry regions need far more water than commonly assumed once purification, processing and cooling are included. Based on research by the author and a co-author, the study models a large plant in a hot, arid setting and concludes that water demand could be high enough to strain already stressed groundwater supplies in North Africa.

It also warns that if seawater desalination is used to meet plant needs, the process could generate salty wastewater with chemicals that may damage coastal and marine ecosystems. The analysis says this brine can harm seafloor habitats and fisheries, especially in semi-enclosed coastal waters. The author describes the broader dynamic as a form of “green extractivism,” where importing countries gain emissions benefits while producer countries bear environmental costs.

The article calls for hydrogen certification rules to consider water availability and ecosystem impacts, not only carbon emissions. It suggests new sustainability tests and greater use of treated wastewater to reduce pressure on freshwater resources.