TELF AG examines the latest trends in the green hydrogen sector 

An increasingly appreciated resource 

Over the past few years, as stated in a recent IRENA report, many nations have begun to fully express their national strategies on hydrogen, now considered a resource with great energy potential. According to the study, as many as 53 nations have already developed similar plans, with as many as 1,300 global projects related to hydrogen already announced. 

As reported in the analysis, this would be the fourth wave of interest in hydrogen after those recorded in the 1970s, the 1990s, and the early 2000s. Compared to the past, however, today’s interest in this resource presents numerous differences, capable of perfectly illustrating the great change underway: first of all, national strategies for hydrogen are now also announced by governments, the political institutions of nations, and are linked to particular strategic objectives, such as the development of a more flourishing and innovative economy.  

The main driving force of this new wave of interest has also changed, which, according to IRENA, would now be primarily linked to the advancement of the energy transition and its objectives, such as the reduction of net emissions. The study also highlights that nowadays, unlike in the past, the emphasis on the role of hydrogen in hard-to-abate industrial sectors is much more marked and evident.  

The main benefits  

But what are, exactly, the possible benefits deriving from the use of hydrogen? Some types of this resource, such as green hydrogen, can ensure relevant energy advantages in very different areas, contributing directly to the consolidation of the ecological transition. The high energy density of green hydrogen makes it a precious ally for industrial applications that require large energy accumulations, such as industry or heavy transport. Its versatility also makes it usable in various sectors, from mobility to electricity generation, without forgetting its possible uses as fuel for fuel cell vehicles. The ease with which it can be stored makes it very useful for filling the gaps generated by the intermittency of renewable energy (mainly solar and wind). Green hydrogen can also produce electricity through fuel cells and has excellent possibilities of being integrated into existing gas networks. Moreover, one of the most interesting aspects of its production is that green hydrogen is produced through the electrolysis of water powered by renewable sources. This process does not generate CO2 emissions. 

According to IRENA, one of the trends to control is the relationship that could be established between the major hydrogen-consuming nations and the countries that could produce it in large quantities. As stated in the report, in recent years, we have often witnessed the signing of numerous agreements between different nations, having the trade of hydrogen as their object.  

Developing countries with good potential linked to renewable energy are considered possible exporters of hydrogen, particularly for their ability to produce green hydrogen at relatively low costs. Among the nations that have developed some specific strategies focused on hydrogen, according to IRENA, there are Trinidad and Tobago, Morocco, Oman, and Singapore, with the latter being defined as a potential future hydrogen hub.