Rais Foudil

The transition to green hydrogen represents a key element of the global energy shift, but at the same time, it raises a range of complex issues that go beyond the scope of traditional economic analysis. A new, integrated model of thinking is required—one that not only accounts for costs and benefits but also incorporates ethical, social, and technological dimensions of development. This approach is particularly important in the context of the green transition because the changes it demands deeply affect societal structures, labor markets, local communities, and the environment.

In this context, interdisciplinary collaboration becomes essential, as no single discipline can adequately address all the challenges involved. Economists can quantify costs and impacts, sociologists can analyze social resistance or acceptance of change, environmental scientists can assess ecosystem effects, and policymakers can shape the regulatory framework that promotes sustainable development. Without their cooperation, energy policies risk becoming inefficient, socially unsustainable, or technologically unfeasible.

In my opinion, green hydrogen—as part of a broader decarbonization strategy—can bring multiple benefits, but only if its development is not driven solely by market logic. A holistic approach, which includes all relevant actors and dimensions, is the only sustainable path toward building a fair and inclusive energy future. Otherwise, there is a risk of repeating the mistakes of past transitions, which were often unevenly distributed across regions and social groups.

Hello,

Several interdisciplinary models have been developed to guide public investment decisions in the hydrogen economy by integrating economic, environmental, and social science perspectives. These models aim to balance cost-effectiveness, environmental integrity, and social equity—key pillars of a just and sustainable energy transition.

🌍 1. Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA):

MCDA frameworks allow decision-makers to evaluate hydrogen projects based on multiple, often conflicting criteria such as cost, CO₂ emissions, water use, employment impact, and community acceptance. This approach enables stakeholders to weigh trade-offs transparently and inclusively. (See: Mardani et al., 2015)

📊 2. Integrated Assessment Models (IAMs):

IAMs, such as MESSAGE, GCAM, or REMIND, simulate long-term socio-economic and environmental scenarios. They help policymakers understand how hydrogen deployment interacts with climate goals, energy systems, and global economic development. These models are often used by IPCC and IEA for policy planning.

🧩 3. Socio-Technical Transition Frameworks (e.g., Multi-Level Perspective - MLP):

These frameworks analyze how technological innovation, social norms, and institutional structures co-evolve. In the hydrogen context, MLP helps explore how niche hydrogen technologies can scale in response to broader landscape pressures like climate change and policy shifts. (Geels, 2002)

💰 4. Cost-Benefit Analysis with Social Valuation (CBA+):

Extended CBAs incorporate non-market values (e.g., social acceptance, health co-benefits, employment), sometimes via contingent valuation or social discount rates, allowing for a fuller representation of hydrogen’s societal impact.

Integrating economic, environmental, and social science perspectives in hydrogen-related public investment decisions requires multi-disciplinary frameworks and models that can capture trade-offs, synergies, and long-term implications. Several modeling approaches and frameworks exist, often grouped into integrated assessment models (IAMs), multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA), cost-benefit analysis (CBA) with externalities, and system dynamics or agent-based models.

Models that integrate economic, environmental, and social science perspectives in hydrogen-related public investment decisions typically fall under integrated and interdisciplinary frameworks. These models aim to guide policymakers by evaluating trade-offs, co-benefits, and long-term implications of investing in hydrogen technologies and infrastructure.

You have enough information provided by all the above.