The Hydrogen Council, an initiative led by over 140 global companies to promote the transition to green energy, has revealed that the production capacities of all clean hydrogen plant projects announced globally only represent around half of the volumes of clean hydrogen required to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 45% by 2030 and achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
The transition to a carbon-free society is a global goal, and hydrogen is emerging as a hopeful avenue in achieving this goal. The International Energy Agency forecasts that 115 million tons of hydrogen will be needed in 2030 to achieve net-zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2050.
A recent survey conducted by Civey on behalf of thyssenkrupp nucera AG & Co. KGaA has found that a majority of Germans view green hydrogen as the energy source of the future for Europe and Germany.
The adoption of clean energy sources and the pursuit of carbon neutrality has prompted Europe to seek alternative fuels, including hydrogen, as an alternative to fossil fuels.
“The holy grail” of the energy future – hydrogen may soon have a very serious problem, which, if not solved quickly, will bring the whole “hydrogen revolution” to a halt for us. This is caused by the already absolute certainty that hydrogen in the Earth’s atmosphere reacts with tropospheric hydroxyl (OH) radicals. Therefore, its uncontrolled emission into the atmosphere disturbs the distribution and holds dangerously the decomposition of methane, ozone or water vapour, which can lead us, in the short term, to a possible climate cataclysm.
Germany has long been known for its ambitious plans to transition away from fossil fuels, and green hydrogen has been a critical element in this strategy. However, the country can only meet 30% of its own needs for this clean fuel, according to German Economy Minister Robert Habeck. This shortfall has led the country to search for trade partners to deliver the remaining 70% of its green hydrogen needs.
A new report prepared by the South Asia Regional Energy Partnership (SAREP) estimates India will reach an annual green hydrogen demand of 2.85 million metric tons (MMT) by 2030 if existing momentum in the public and private sectors for green hydrogen continues and announced projects get implemented. The report highlights that the fertilizer and export sectors will account for nearly 37% and 29% of the total 2.85 MMT green hydrogen demand, respectively.
Spanish engineering company, Antropia, claims to have developed a breakthrough technology that can significantly reduce the production costs of green hydrogen.
German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz visited Kenya to strengthen ties between the two countries and discuss plans for cooperation in promoting the production of green hydrogen as part of efforts to combat climate change.
Nuclear power can play a crucial role in the production of zero-carbon hydrogen due to its competitive pricing, relatively small geographic footprint, and high capacity, say analysts and industry heads.
