Accelerating the energy transition requires a rapid expansion of renewables-based electricity generation. According to IRENA’s 1.5°C Scenario, by 2050, variable renewable energy (VRE) will represent 70% of the total global energy generation, from today’s 9%. In this context, green hydrogen emerges as key complement to make the most of the massive renewable production.
Green hydrogen, produced from renewable electricity, is meant to serve various purposes in future energy systems. First, it should replace the current close to 100 Mt hydrogen produced from fossil fuels used as feedstock in chemical processes or refinery applications. Second, new demand for green hydrogen may come from those hard-to-abate sectors that may not be directly electrified like the steel, chemicals, aviation and shipping.
