Green Hydrogen takes Centre Stage at Members' Knowledge Hub

Today, one-third of global energy-related emissions come from sectors for which there is no economic alternative to fossil fuels. For so called “hard to decarbonise” sectors like energy-intensive industries as well as freight transport, green hydrogen could be a game changer for a cost-effective decarbonisation.

Enough reason for IRENA to take the lead in supporting countries and facilitate the global discourse on the role of green hydrogen for national energy transition strategies. Entrusted by its broad and active Membership, IRENA has now set up a new Collaborative Framework on Green Hydrogen for its 161 Members and 22 States in Accession.

“Hydrogen is enjoying increasing political and business momentum,” said IRENA’s Director-General Francesco La Camera during the first meeting of the new Framework. “There is need for knowledge exchange and increased international co-operation and coordinated action in this space. This initiative aims to provide a framework in this regard and leverage the Agency’s work on green hydrogen and the knowledge and expertise that exists within IRENA’s global Membership.”

The working group serves as effective vehicle for dialogue, co-operation and coordinated action to accelerate development and deployment of green hydrogen, thereby enriching the ongoing work of the Agency on hydrogen. During this week’s meeting, participants widely acknowledged the crucial role of IRENA and the Agency’s recent work around Hydrogen: A renewable energy perspective to provide guidance on benefits and challenges of the future roll-out of green hydrogen.

Green hydrogen was broadly recognized as means for the integration of energy markets, flexibility and end use sectors as well as to channel large amounts of cheap renewable energy from the power sector into sectors for which electrification and decarbonisation is difficult. Members shared their vision on developing an effective and viable global hydrogen supply chain. Over 60 participants from 32 countries from around the world widely recognized the crucial role of green hydrogen to achieve a deep decarbonisation with net-zero emissions by 2060 globally.

The sustainable production of hydrogen as well as the role of international hydrogen trade were mentioned as areas of work. Countries also underlined the possibility of “greening the gas grid” which might allow volumes to ramp up rapidly and provide the economies of scale necessary to reduce the cost of hydrogen.

Joined in the common understanding to use IRENA’s platform to leverage its unique global Membership, countries agreed to reconvene in September. The Framework on Green Hydrogen will be open to all interested Members and States in Accession who are committed to actively participating in and contributing to the activities.