Exploring the potential of solar photovoltaic and wind-based green hydrogen projects in ECOWAS region: Production, cost, and environmental maps

The transition to clean energy demands innovative low-carbon hydrogen production solutions, particularly in developing nations. This study explores the prospect of green hydrogen production in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) using solar photovoltaic (PV) and wind power technol...

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Main Authors: Flavio Odoi-Yorke, Ephraim Bonah Agyekum, Oluwatayomi Rereloluwa Adegboye, Charles K.K. Sekyere
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2025-09-01
Series:Energy Exploration & Exploitation
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1177/01445987251355300
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author Flavio Odoi-Yorke
Ephraim Bonah Agyekum
Oluwatayomi Rereloluwa Adegboye
Charles K.K. Sekyere
author_facet Flavio Odoi-Yorke
Ephraim Bonah Agyekum
Oluwatayomi Rereloluwa Adegboye
Charles K.K. Sekyere
author_sort Flavio Odoi-Yorke
collection DOAJ
description The transition to clean energy demands innovative low-carbon hydrogen production solutions, particularly in developing nations. This study explores the prospect of green hydrogen production in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) using solar photovoltaic (PV) and wind power technologies. The region, endowed with massive renewable energy resources, continues to face challenges in developing economically viable and low-carbon hydrogen production strategies. The study fills this gap by developing a comprehensive methodology combining renewable energy production, electrolysis, and economic analysis. The study examines the viability of hydrogen production in 15 West African countries according to primary indicators such as electricity production, density of hydrogen production, levelized cost of hydrogen, and reduction of carbon dioxide emission. This novel method offers a detailed geospatial and techno-economic analysis of green hydrogen production, revealing stark variations in production costs and green hydrogen potential for West African countries. The study revealed Niger, Mali, and Cape Verde to have great potential for green hydrogen development due to high renewable energy resources and low production costs. This study provides policymakers and investors with a critical roadmap based on the potential of green hydrogen as a low-carbon energy solution in West Africa. In addition, it presents a strategy for creating competitive, low-carbon hydrogen economies that can drive the energy transition and economic diversification based on the region's strengths and weaknesses.
format Article
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institution Kabale University
issn 0144-5987
2048-4054
language English
publishDate 2025-09-01
publisher SAGE Publishing
record_format Article
series Energy Exploration & Exploitation
spelling doaj-art-ef9d8d00352741d08c3f3f6ac3d16a1c2025-08-20T03:32:37ZengSAGE PublishingEnergy Exploration & Exploitation0144-59872048-40542025-09-014310.1177/01445987251355300Exploring the potential of solar photovoltaic and wind-based green hydrogen projects in ECOWAS region: Production, cost, and environmental mapsFlavio Odoi-Yorke0Ephraim Bonah Agyekum1Oluwatayomi Rereloluwa Adegboye2Charles K.K. Sekyere3 Department of Renewable Energy Technology, School of Engineering, , Cape Coast, Ghana Tashkent State University of Economics, Tashkent City, Uzbekistan Engineering Management Department, , Nicosia, Turkey Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kwame Nkrumah University of Technology, Kumasi, GhanaThe transition to clean energy demands innovative low-carbon hydrogen production solutions, particularly in developing nations. This study explores the prospect of green hydrogen production in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) using solar photovoltaic (PV) and wind power technologies. The region, endowed with massive renewable energy resources, continues to face challenges in developing economically viable and low-carbon hydrogen production strategies. The study fills this gap by developing a comprehensive methodology combining renewable energy production, electrolysis, and economic analysis. The study examines the viability of hydrogen production in 15 West African countries according to primary indicators such as electricity production, density of hydrogen production, levelized cost of hydrogen, and reduction of carbon dioxide emission. This novel method offers a detailed geospatial and techno-economic analysis of green hydrogen production, revealing stark variations in production costs and green hydrogen potential for West African countries. The study revealed Niger, Mali, and Cape Verde to have great potential for green hydrogen development due to high renewable energy resources and low production costs. This study provides policymakers and investors with a critical roadmap based on the potential of green hydrogen as a low-carbon energy solution in West Africa. In addition, it presents a strategy for creating competitive, low-carbon hydrogen economies that can drive the energy transition and economic diversification based on the region's strengths and weaknesses.https://doi.org/10.1177/01445987251355300
spellingShingle Flavio Odoi-Yorke
Ephraim Bonah Agyekum
Oluwatayomi Rereloluwa Adegboye
Charles K.K. Sekyere
Exploring the potential of solar photovoltaic and wind-based green hydrogen projects in ECOWAS region: Production, cost, and environmental maps
Energy Exploration & Exploitation
title Exploring the potential of solar photovoltaic and wind-based green hydrogen projects in ECOWAS region: Production, cost, and environmental maps
title_full Exploring the potential of solar photovoltaic and wind-based green hydrogen projects in ECOWAS region: Production, cost, and environmental maps
title_fullStr Exploring the potential of solar photovoltaic and wind-based green hydrogen projects in ECOWAS region: Production, cost, and environmental maps
title_full_unstemmed Exploring the potential of solar photovoltaic and wind-based green hydrogen projects in ECOWAS region: Production, cost, and environmental maps
title_short Exploring the potential of solar photovoltaic and wind-based green hydrogen projects in ECOWAS region: Production, cost, and environmental maps
title_sort exploring the potential of solar photovoltaic and wind based green hydrogen projects in ecowas region production cost and environmental maps
url https://doi.org/10.1177/01445987251355300
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AT oluwatayomirereloluwaadegboye exploringthepotentialofsolarphotovoltaicandwindbasedgreenhydrogenprojectsinecowasregionproductioncostandenvironmentalmaps
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