Page 13 - AsiaElec Week 40 2021

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Time is ripe for hydrogen over 300 MW by mid-2021. Around 350 and, if realised, could increase the annual
projects currently under development could
hydrogen production to more than 9 Mt by
The IEA said in its new Hydrogen Review that bring global capacity up to 54 GW by 2030. 2030. Canada and the United States lead in the
the time is ripe to tap into hydrogen’s potential Another 40 projects accounting for more production of hydrogen from fossil fuels with
contribution to a sustainable energy system. than 35 GW of capacity are in early stages of CCUS, with more than 80% of global capacity
In 2019, at the time of the release of the IEA’s development. production, although the United Kingdom
landmark report The Future of Hydrogen for If all those projects are realised, global and the Netherlands are pushing to become
the G20, only France, Japan and Korea had hydrogen supply from electrolysers could leaders in the field and account for a major
strategies for the use of hydrogen. reach more than 8 Mt by 2030. While part of the projects under development.
Today, 17 governments have released significant, this is still well below the 80 Mt IAE
hydrogen strategies, more than 20 required by that year in the pathway to net
governments have publicly announced zero CO2 emissions by 2050 set out in the IEA
they are working to develop strategies, and Roadmap for the Global Energy Sector. COAL
numerous companies are seeking to tap into Europe is leading electrolyser capacity
hydrogen business opportunities. deployment, with 40% of global installed India’s ‘captive’ coal mines
Such efforts are timely: hydrogen will be capacity, and is set to remain the largest
needed for an energy system with net zero market in the near term on the back of the to be allowed to sell 50%
emissions. In the IEA’s Net Zero by 2050: ambitious hydrogen strategies of the European
A Roadmap for the Global Energy Sector, Union and the United Kingdom. Australia’s output
hydrogen use extends to several parts of plans suggest it could catch up with Europe
the energy sector and grows sixfold from in a few years; Latin America and the Middle Indian coal mines that produce coal solely for
today’s levels to meet 10% of total final energy East are expected to deploy large amounts their own use, known as “captive mines” will
consumption by 2050. This is all supplied of capacity as well, in particular for export. now be allowed to sell 50% of their annual
from low-carbon sources. The People’s Republic of China (“China”) output in the open market, the government
Hydrogen demand stood at 90 Mt in 2020, made a slow start, but its number of project said, Reuters reported.
practically all for refining and industrial announcements is growing fast, and the “Availability of additional coal will ease
applications and produced almost exclusively United States is stepping up ambitions with its pressure on power plants and will also aid in
from fossil fuels, resulting in close to 900 Mt recently announced Hydrogen Earthshot. import substitution of coal,” the coal ministry
of CO2 emissions. But there are encouraging Sixteen projects for producing hydrogen said in a statement.
signs of progress. from fossil fuels with carbon capture, The move comes as India’s coal-fired
Global capacity of electrolysers, which are utilisation and storage (CCUS) are operational utilities face an acute fuel shortage with
needed to produce hydrogen from electricity, today, producing 0.7 Mt of hydrogen annually. inventories falling to multi-year lows.
doubled over the last five years to reach just Another 50 projects are under development

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