Post-lithium energy storage selection for the extended sustainable supply chain: a conceptual AHP-based framework illustrated on the Moroccan logistics–energy nexus

Purpose The paper develops a conceptual framework for selecting post-lithium storage technologies across the heterogeneous nodes of the extended sustainable supply chain, treating strategic sovereignty as a decisional dimension alongside technical, economic and environmental criteria, and illustrates it on the Moroccan nexus. Design/methodology/approach A four-cluster, twelve-sub-criterion analytic hierarchy process (AHP) is instantiated on five alternatives. The instantiation is illustrative rather than survey-based: each pairwise matrix is generated deterministically from published benchmark values for the 2024–2026 window through a Saaty-capped ratio rule, making the demonstration reproducible. Consistency ratios, a ±20 per cent perturbation test and a prospective 2030–2035 re-parameterisation probe its stability. Findings At 2024–2026 benchmark values no technology dominates: the four leading priorities fall within a 0.034 band, and node re-weighting fragments the ranking into four dominant designs – lithium-ion for long-haul transport (0.226), redox flow for stationary storage (0.237), sodium-ion for micro-grids (0.235) and supercapacitor hybrids for intralogistics (0.275). Three hold across the whole perturbation envelope; long-haul is contested. Separately, under the illustrative 2030–2035 re-parameterisation, long-haul shifts toward sodium-ion and solid-state, which demonstrates horizon dependence rather than forecasting it. Research limitations/implications The elicitation is illustrative: the priorities demonstrate the discriminating capacity of the framework rather than measuring expert preference. An empirical Delphi, a life-cycle-assessment module and an analytic network process (ANP) portfolio extension are the priority developments. Practical implications A time-phased four-pillar hybridisation roadmap for Morocco is derived and stated as testable propositions, conditional on 2024–2026 baseline parameters, with governance and financing corollaries. Originality/value The paper extends sustainable supply chain management by articulating a resource–logistics–energy nexus, raises strategic sovereignty to a fourth decisional dimension and offers a reproducible node-specific selection framework for an African logistics hub.