The U.S. has led the world in green hydrogen research and applications. Indeed, five out of 12 leading green hydrogen companies worldwide are from the U.S. They are Air Products, FuelCell Energy, Bloom Energy, Plug Power, and Hyzon. This includes only a few American startups focusing on developing green hydrogen batteries and other applications. The other seven are spread over countries, including the UK, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, and Norway. This indicates that the American private sector is the country’s leading force in climate tech.
The use of hydrogen as a source of fuel has been introduced previously. Indeed, it has been used in spaceships. However, the popularity of green hydrogen emerged again recently as one of the practical tools to combat climate change and global warming. The International Energy Agency estimates that around 830 million tonnes of CO2 can be saved annually when this gas is used. To produce green hydrogen, researchers or scientists have to break down water molecules (H2O) into oxygen (O2) and hydrogen (H2). The unique thing about green hydrogen is that it only emits water vapors when used. This is unlike the use of fossil fuels.
In addition, this gas is also easy to store and versatile. In other words, the green hydrogen can be converted to synthetic gas or electricity. Then, they will be used for transportation or other industry purposes. However, there are some pitfalls with green hydrogen. Like other green technologies, green hydrogen is still costly to produce. The good news is that this cost will be reduced by half in 2030, according to the World Hydrogen Council. In addition to the high price, other disadvantages include high energy consumption and safety issues. Indeed, hydrogen is very volatile and flammable.
Actions mitigating climate change require committed participation from developing countries. As we mentioned earlier, only a small group of advanced countries can afford the research and application of green hydrogen. Japan has even gone further and aspires to develop a green hydrogen-based economy. The high costs of green hydrogen prevent developing countries from adopting green hydrogen anytime soon. As a result, advanced countries, including the U.S. and EU, must be committed to transferring green hydrogen technology to underdeveloped countries. Developing countries have one of the most effective tools to decarbonize the economy if this happens.
Author: Bao Hoang, Ph.D.
