August 2020 – @alvaroriosroca – This July, the document and communication from the European Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Committee for Social and Economic Affairs and the Committee of the Regions on “A Strategy for Hydrogen for a Climate Neutral Europe” was made public.
The European Union understands that it must take the lead on this issue for a number of reasons, which we note below. First, they are responding to the demands of their conscious citizens who are asking their governments to take clear action against climate change. Second, they understand that intermittent renewable energies (solar and wind) alone are not the solution (many thought so) to decarbonize the planet in the long term.
Third, they see that China has already taken the lead in the design and manufacture of solar and wind systems and that they have strong technological competence for efficiency improvements and cost reduction. Fourth, they see that the American continent (with the USA and the Shales) and also Russia, are still betting on continuing to produce and use vast resources of conventional and unconventional gas and oil.
The European Union does not have them in abundance and must import them, especially natural gas (Russia and the USA) which, for the moment, is also seen as the transitional and backup energy to intermittent solar and wind energy and also water in other continents such as Latin America.
Finally (and this as Latin America does produce healthy envy) that with this initiative to hydrogen, Europeans are launching a plan for scientific research, technological development and leadership to generate qualified employment for their citizens. In decades to come, hydrogen will be a kind of natural gas, but almost totally clean, to support intermittent energy, move towards a carbon-free economy and thus lead the fight against climate change, which is already installed in the world’s thinking.
Below, we summarize some of the main conclusions of this initiative:
It points out that renewable energy and low-carbon hydrogen can make a significant contribution to reducing greenhouse emissions after 2030, reviving the economy (read pandemic as well) and establishing hydrogen as a central element in the fight to reduce carbon emissions to zero by 2050.
This will make it possible to eradicate fossil fuels and also to use them as a raw material in sectors that are difficult to decarbonize. The use of renewable (green) hydrogen is a unique opportunity for research and innovation, maintaining leadership for research and thus creating economic growth and jobs throughout the hydrogen chain and throughout the European Union.
The aim of the proposal is to have a coherent investment programme, also reaching the international level, with economies of scale, that will make hydrogen competitive with alternative energy sources (mainly fossil fuels).
Through the European Alliance for Clean Hydrogen, develop an investment agenda to stimulate the production and use of hydrogen in addition to listing a set of projects in investment projects during 2020 to boost demand and bring them to economies of scale in production to lower costs.
Propose concrete measures to facilitate its use in the transport industry (fuel cells) and uses in industry, air and land transport and use as a raw material. Planning for infrastructure development (new transportation pipelines and use of existing pipelines) for transportation and marketing (gas stations) and many other possible uses.
Launch a 100 MW electrolyzer in airports and ports with a green label by the third quarter of 2020. In summary, make renewable hydrogen production (from intermittent renewable energy), its storage for backup, its transport and distribution and uses competitive for hydrogen.
In the region Chile is beginning to take the first steps with green hydrogen (renewable) in partnership with private companies and taking advantage of abundant solar and wind energy and then store and transport it to the center where the demand is. There is no doubt about a change of paradigm in energy at a global level.
* Former Minister of Hydrocarbons of Bolivia and current Managing Partner of Gas Energy Latin America