Foreseeing A Green Hydrogen World

This is what the massive international clean hydrogen trade may look like in 2050: Irena

Leigh Collins, 29 March 2022 (RECHARGE)

“…Clean hydrogen production will need to grow from negligible levels today to 614 million tonnes per year by 2050 in order to keep global heating to 1.5°C above pre-industrial level, according to a new report by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)…Two thirds of that hydrogen (409.3 million tonnes) would be produced from renewable energy, with the remaining third being blue — derived from natural gas with carbon capture and storage…In 2050, about a quarter of all the hydrogen produced could be traded internationally…

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About half of these volumes would be traded via pipeline, with the other half transported by ammonia ships…Chile, North Africa and Spain would together represent almost 75% of the global pipeline hydrogen trade…Morocco, Australia and the US would together account for three quarters of the global ammonia trade market…The UK, Russia, China, India, Latin America, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and South Africa would also export ammonia…Only China would export hydrogen in its liquid form…

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As about 60% of the levelised cost of green hydrogen (LCOH) comes from the price of electricity used to split water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen, countries with the highest solar irradiation and strongest winds — and therefore the cheapest wind and solar power — would theoretically produce the lowest cost green hydrogen…[But because of low interest rates,] the Middle East and Latin America would nearly triple their green hydrogen production, with renewable H2 exports falling by 80% in Australia and more than 95% in Chile…[But] by 2050, due to technology improvements and economies of scale, the cost differences between countries will become relatively small…” click here for more

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