Green hydrogen: opportunities and challenges for local partners

Green hydrogen: opportunities and challenges for local partners

hydrogen import and its sustainable dimensions: A look at global effects

The German government passed a comprehensive strategy for the procurement of hydrogen on July 24, 2024 to cover the country's future energy requirements. Germany is expected to need hydrogen and hydrogen -based products between 95 and 130 terawatt hours by 2030, whereby the majority of this demand must be covered by imports. A central goal of this strategy is the import of "green" hydrogen.

A recently published report by the Öko-Institut, financed by the Amber Foundation, takes a decisive look at the effects of this import strategy, especially in countries in the global south. The report analyzes various sustainable dimensions that must be taken into account in the process of hydrogen production and transport. These dimensions go far beyond the idea of ​​"green" hydrogen, which comes from renewable energy sources.

A central result of the study is the identification of nine dimensions of sustainability, which should be taken into account in hydrogen import. This includes aspects such as access to water and land resources as well as local economic participation. These points are crucial because they enable the creation of sustainable cooperation between Germany and the producer countries.

Susanne Krieger, research assistant at the eco-institute, emphasizes: "The positive news is that numerous instruments are already proposed to anchor the sustainable dimensions of hydrogen." The key lies in the dialogue funding and the active participation of local actors in the respective sponsoring countries. This is the only way to effectively use the actual opportunities for sustainable cooperation.

The study emphasizes that some of the social and economic factors, such as land use rights and the participation of the population, have not yet been adequately examined. This is a critical point, since responsible hydrogen production not only takes into account technical, but also social and economic challenges.

For further information and deeper analyzes of the sustainable dimensions of the hydrogen, interested parties can view the accompanying blog post "Sustainability dimensions of Hydrogen in the specialist discourse-an inventory" and the study "Sustainability dimensions of hydrogen production in countries in the global south" of the eco-institute.

If you have any questions on this topic, Susanne Krieger from the Energy and Climate Policy Department at the eco-institute is available. You can reach by email at s.-kieger@oeko.de or by phone at +49 761 45295-274.

This comprehensive analysis underlines the importance of an integrative and sustainable hydrogen strategy, which not only takes into account ecological but also social justice aspects. The future of energy accelerates, and it is crucial that this progress focuses on everyone involved and their needs.