Decarbonizing Afghanistan: The most cost-effective renewable energy system for hydrogen production

Green hydrogen is increasingly recognized as a critical pathway toward decarbonizing energy systems, particularly in regions with abundant renewable resources. This study presents a province-level assessment of green hydrogen production potential across Afghanistan, utilizing PV, wind turbine, and hybrid PV/WT renewable energy systems. The analysis evaluates the economic, energy, and environmental performance of each configuration by examining key indicators, including the levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH), power output, hydrogen yield, and CO2 sequestration. By integrating regional climatic variables such as solar irradiance, wind speed, and temperature, the study provides geographically tailored insights into system performance. The findings indicate that PV systems are the most cost-effective in provinces with high solar irradiance and moderate temperatures, with Daykundi achieving the lowest LCOH of $6.09/kg. Wind systems perform optimally in wind-abundant regions such as Farah, where the LCOH reaches $5.07/kg. Hybrid systems offer balanced performance in areas with complementary solar and wind resources, with Farah also recording the lowest hybrid LCOH of $5.47/kg. The results reveal substantial spatial variation in renewable hydrogen potential, which underscores the importance of region-specific deployment strategies. Provinces such as Daykundi, Farah, and Ghor emerge as priority regions for green hydrogen investment due to their techno-economic and environmental advantages.