FBK contribution to the report by IRENA, the International Renewable Energy Agency

07/07/2022 The study “Global Hydrogen Trade to Meet the 1.5°C Climate Goal: Green Hydrogen Cost and Potential ” is part of a series of three reports focusing on the global hydrogen trade and published by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). The report is dedicated to the costs and potential of green hydrogen and was prepared in collaboration with Fondazione Bruno Kessler and Enel Foundation.

As the report points out, in a scenario where the goal is to keep global warming below 1.5°C in 2050, hydrogen takes on a key role in decarbonizing hard-to-electrify sectors such as heavy industry and long-haul transportation.

While there is a vast green hydrogen potential in the world, amounting to more than 20 times the global primary energy demand in 2050, the potential within specific countries or regions depends on the suitable land available for hydrogen production.

The report, thus, estimates the potential for green hydrogen production as a function of land availability, considering non-exploitable areas such as protected areas, forests, marshy areas, urban areas, sloping areas, and areas with high water stress.

The report also analyzes production costs under different time horizons and techno-economic scenarios.