Green hydrogen and its unspoken challenges for energy justice

Green hydrogen is often promoted as a key facilitator for the clean energy transition, but its implementation raises concerns around energy justice. This paper examines the socio-political and techno-economic challenges that green hydrogen projects may pose to the three tenets of energy justice: distributive, procedural, and recognition justice. From a socio-political perspective, the risk of neocolonial resource extraction, uneven distribution of benefits, exclusion of local communities from decision-making, and disregard for indigenous rights and cultures threaten all three justice tenets. Techno-economic factors such as water scarcity, land disputes, and resource-related conflicts in potential production hotspots further jeopardise distributive and recognition justice. The analysis, framed by an adapted PEST model, reveals that while green hydrogen holds promise for sustainable development, its implementation must proactively address these justice challenges. Failure to do so could perpetuate injustices, exploitation, and marginalisation of vulnerable communities, undermining the sustainability goals it aims to achieve. The paper highlights the need for inclusive and equitable approaches that respect local sovereignty, integrate diverse stakeholders, and ensure fair access and benefit-sharing. Only by centring justice considerations can the transition to green hydrogen catalyse positive social change and realise its full potential as a driver of sustainable energy systems.