Assessing the Role of Decentralized Green Hydrogen Technologies in Advancing Sustainable Green Building Development in Africa: Case Study of Malawi and Nigeria

The global pursuit of sustainable development highlights the urgent need for clean, renewable, and decentralized energy systems, especially in the built environment. This study examines the potential of decentralized green hydrogen technologies to foster sustainable green building practices in Africa. The study combines a comparative analysis of stakeholder perspectives in Malawi and Nigeria with a technical sizing assessment of Solhyd, solar-to-hydrogen systems. A mixed-methods approach was used in the study. First, a cross-sectional survey was conducted among 200 professionals, policymakers, and residents in both countries to evaluate perceived benefits, barriers to adoption, and driving factors towards adoption. Additionally, a technical analysis was conducted to determine the optimal system sizing of the panels to meet a minimum energy demand of three major types of residential buildings: rural, semi-urban, and urban. The respondents comprised 48.2% from Malawi and 51.8% from Nigeria. The results show that the highest-ranked perceived benefits, most critical barriers, and driving factors were “reducing reliance on diesel generators,” “high initial installation cost,” and “availability of infrastructure for production, storage, and distribution,” with mean scores of 3.93, 3.92, and 4.18, respectively. The technical analysis reveals that between 6 and 27 Solhyd panels can meet the typical daily electricity demand (2.5–10 kWh) of households in rural, semi-urban, and urban areas. This energy transition provides substantial environmental benefits, with a single urban home saving up to 5.77 metric tons of CO ₂ annually. The study concludes that although the integration of decentralized green hydrogen is still in early stages, its potential remains significant. This study lays a foundational roadmap for policymakers and developers to create a scalable solution that powers Africa's sustainable urban growth, enhances energy independence, and achieves climate resilience goals.