Hydrogen is gaining unprecedented traction, and given the current geopolitical turmoil posing serious threats to global energy security, the need to accelerate its development has become even more critical.
This was recognized by the German G7 presidency, which announced earlier this year in the “G7 Hydrogen Action Pact” the need for strengthened collaboration among G7 members on the development of green and low carbon hydrogen value chains.
Speaking at the ‘G7 Hydrogen Action Pact – Facilitating and Accelerating PtX-Market Ramp-up,’ Ms. Jinks emphasized the importance of countries working together to develop common policy and regulatory frameworks in order to collectively ramp up global hydrogen markets. IRENA, the PTX Hub, and the International Partnership for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells in the Economy co-organized the side event (IPHE). The partners collectively represent over 168 IRENA members.
Aligning efforts on standards and certification, close collaboration for information exchange and lessons learned, balancing hydrogen supply and demand, promoting hydrogen uptake in the hydrogen sector, and conducting outreach to stakeholders on the priority uses for low carbon and green hydrogen are among the recommendations for action.
The work was carried out using IRENA’s knowledge of hydrogen production, trade, and end-use, as well as the key enabling measures that policymakers must implement, as captured in the Enabling Measures Roadmaps for Green Hydrogen, created in collaboration with the World Economic Forum and launched last year at COP26 in Glasgow.
One of the key recommendations of IRENA is to use hydrogen to decarbonize difficult-to-abate sectors. The German government established the H2Global Foundation in June 2021 to facilitate the start of the green hydrogen industry and its international market ramp-up, an auction-based mechanism that will enable the sale and import of green hydrogen or other renewable energy conversion products under long-term contracts in Germany and Europe.
