Green Hydrogen

The Collaborative Framework serves as an effective vehicle for dialogue, co-operation and coordinated action to accelerate development and deployment of green hydrogen and its derivatives for the global renewable energy transformation. The Collaborative Framework leverages the Agency’s work on green hydrogen, the wealth of knowledge and expertise that exists within IRENA’s Membership, and the benefits that may be reaped through wider global cooperation with other entities.

Participation in the Collaborative Framework is open to the private sector and other international organizations. The Hydrogen Council the International Partnership for Fuel Cells and Hydrogen in the Economy (IPHE) already participated in the second meeting.

The scope of work for the Collaborative Framework is divided into nine areas:

• A global knowledge database for green hydrogen
• Cooperation with existing hydrogen initiatives and other relevant actors
• Nexus between electrolysers and renewable power
• Transportation and distribution of hydrogen
• Standards and Regulatory frameworks
• Financial support
• End-use Sectors
• Environmental, safety aspects and social acceptance of hydrogen development
• Applicability and relevance of hydrogen in small markets (e.g. small countries)

During 2021, the work will focus on the infrastructure, investment and certification aspects needed to enable global hydrogen trade and more broadly, the enabling measures needed to achieve a large-scale deployment.

Members elected the European Commission and Morocco as co-facilitators.

• Participation
  • Meetings of the Collaborative Frameworks will be open-ended to all IRENA Members and States in Accession. Members of the private sector, associations, research communities, International Governmental Organisations and Non-governmental Organisations, among others, involved in this thematic area of work will also be invited to participate.
• Facilitators/Co-facilitators of the Collaborative Framework
  • The Facilitator/Co-Facilitators will be selected from the Membership, will coordinate the deliberations of the Collaborative Framework and may serve for a period of one/two years.
• Internal working groups
  • The Collaborative Framework may, as needed, form a group(s) of core members to support in-depth discussions on specific topics of interest. Should a number of Members share an interest in a particular topic, they can submit a request to the IRENA Secretariat. The request will then be brought into the Collaborative Framework for the Members to decide whether to proceed with it. Should the request go forward, participation in the working group would be possible for all interested Members.
• Reporting
  • The Facilitator/Co-Facilitators will normally report to one IRENA Council per year, or more as may be necessary, with a view to informing the Membership on advances made in its workplan. Such reports may focus on experience and best practices identified, recommendations on specific thematic areas of work, areas of research, technical reports, etc.
• High-Level meetings
  • Ministerial/High-Level meetings of the Collaborative Framework may be held, as necessary, in the context of the work of the Assembly, or annually preceding or post Assembly, as mandated by and in the context of the work of the Assembly.