This study examines green hydrogen strategies of Algeria and Morocco, analyzing how domestic political economies and across-borders dynamics shape their divergent trajectories. While both countries aim for hydrogen exports, Algeria prioritizes blue hydrogen by repurposing its gas infrastructure to preserve energy rent revenues. In contrast, Morocco focuses on green hydrogen, drawing on its established renewable energy sector and international partnerships. Moving beyond the predominant North-South dynamics, this article advances the South-South angle through a relational comparative approach structured by the Meta Theoretical Framework. Drawing on 21 semi-structured interviews and document analysis, the study highlights how geopolitical rivalry over Western Sahara constrains infrastructure cooperation and embeds territorialization dynamic through green hydrogen projects. The findings demonstrate that hydrogen development risks reproducing existing political economies: reinforcing rent-based path dependencies in Algeria and fostering enclave-type, export-oriented development in Morocco. Rather than easing tensions, hydrogen may intensify regional rivalry.
Boukhatem et al. (Fri,) studied this question.