The Political Ecology of Green Hydrogen from the global South : An analysis along the socioecological fix framework

Abstract: Infrastructural projects to realize the energy transition are framed by governmentsfrom all around the world very positively. This is also the case for green hydrogen,which is considered as a silver bullet to solve multiple crises simultaneously. ThisMaster thesis explores the drivers behind the ramp-up of the hydrogen economy inthe global South and elaborates on socio-economic and ecological implications ofgreen hydrogen production projects to analyse the truthfulness of the positivenarratives of the benefits of green hydrogen. To accomplish this, an internationalgreen hydrogen project led by the German-British company Hyphen and planned tobe established in Namibia, was used as an emblematic case study. Following the framework of the socioecological fix, the findings strongly indicatethat green hydrogen does not significantly contribute in solving the climate crisis andsocial problems. Contrarily, strongly influenced by domestic and internationalpolitics, the project in Namibia seems to primarily fix the crisis of capitalism, which isthe overaccumulation of capital that requires new ways of circulation to makecapitalism renew itself. By commodifying and integrating natural resources in globalvalue chains, the Namibian society is disadvantaged, and few actors, primarily fromabroad, profit. Similarly, the finance approach of the project pushes Namibia intopotential financial dependencies. Besides that, the legacy from German colonialismand South African occupation before liberation is manifested in where and how theinfrastructure of hydrogen production is envisioned and planned. There is a risk thatthe hegemonies of elite social classes sustain their position and that social inequalitiesmight be reinforced through a project heralded as benefitting the whole nation. By assessing the political ecology of green hydrogen, I contribute to a critical researchagenda, that considers global inequalities, colonial histories, and ideologies. This willhopefully help to build a foundation for a truly decolonial and just energy transition,all around the world.