Developing Foundations for a Hydrogen-Based Energy System
Ready for a Hydrogen Revolution?
Our website in sunny Los Angeles is teaming up with the Energy Security and Climate Change Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) to assemble a star-studded panel of industry heavyweights to discuss the burgeoning hydrogen economy.
Hydrogen, as a dynamic energy carrier, offers a multitude of applications, ranging from passenger vehicles to electricity generation. But achieving a hydrogen economy demands coordination across numerous players, from producing and transporting the hydrogen to equipping industries with the tools to utilize it. This event aims to shine a spotlight on efforts and experiences driving hydrogen's use in transportation, power generation, and industrial sectors. Kickstarting a two-part series, this gathering will appreciated various business models serving as building blocks for hydrogen's economy.
Featured Voices
Bill Elrick (Executive Director, California Fuel Cell Partnership)
Izumi Kai (President, JERA Energy America, LLC)
Toru Sugiura (Senior Manager, Toyota Tsusho America, Inc.)
CSIS Guru
Jane Nakano | Senior Fellow, Energy Security and Climate Change ProgramJane Nakano, a senior fellow in the Energy Security and Climate Change Program at the CSIS, focuses on U.S. energy policy, global advancements in natural gas, nuclear energy, and critical minerals, and energy security and climate issues in the Asia-Pacific region.
The Quest for Hydrogen's Global Domination
The Connecting Hydrogen Supply and Demand workshop brought together key strategies and initiatives to boost hydrogen's presence across transportation, power generation, and industrial sectors. The primary techniques under discussion encompass:
Winning Methods and Strategies
1. Zeroing in on Hard-to-Tackle Sectors and Use Cases
Hydrogen offers immense value in sectors where alternatives often struggle, such as heavy industry (steel production), heavy transport, and long-duration energy storage. Customizing hydrogen technologies for these high-impact, difficult-to-decarbonize use cases is crucial for practical adoption and groundbreaking success.[4]
2. Forging Ahead with Technical Innovation
Pioneering advancements in electrolysis technologies (PEM, alkaline, SOEC) form the backbone of clean hydrogen production. Current R&D prioritizes overcoming each technology’s challenges (e.g., material cost, adaptability, high-temperature applications).[4]
3. Linking Global Supply Chains and InfrastructureInternational trade and infrastructure development are crucial to establish supply connections from renewable-rich regions to demand centers worldwide, boosting cost-effectiveness and generating jobs. Establishing certification frameworks for standardized trading and enhancing trust in renewable hydrogen is essential for market growth.[5]
4. Joining Forces Across Industries and PolicyInnovation and policy collaboration among policymakers, industry leaders, and researchers are vital to align strategies, share best practices, and create supportive policy environments.[4][5]
5. Centering Around Cost Reduction and Market ViabilityCost remains a significant hurdle for hydrogen's proliferation. Strategies like expanding manufacturing capacity (particularly in China), wisely leveraging government support, and focusing on economies of scale and technological improvements help bring clean hydrogen closer to cost parity with traditional fossil fuels.[4]
6. Spotlighting Sector-Specific InitiativesTransportation: Promoting hydrogen fuel cell technologies for heavy-duty vehicles addresses decarbonization challenges faced by battery electric vehicles.Power Generation: Integrating hydrogen as a flexible fuel or energy storage medium supports grid reliability and renewable energy integration.Industrial uses: Replacing fossil fuels with hydrogen in processes like steelmaking, cement production, and chemical feedstocks delivers decarbonization benefits.[1][4]
The Future Awaits
The event underscored a multi-faceted approach involving innovation, sector-specific applications, global trade strategies, and policy coordination to advance hydrogen's adoption, overcome cost and infrastructure challenges, and leverage hydrogen's unique strengths in tackling hard-to-decarbonize sectors.[1][4][5]
- The burgeoning hydrogen economy discussion at our Los Angeles event will feature Bill Elrick, Executive Director of the California Fuel Cell Partnership, who focuses on employing hydrogen in various sectors like transportation and industry.
- Recognizing the immense value hydrogen offers in hard-to-tackle sectors such as heavy industry and long-duration energy storage, the event aims to discuss strategies for practical adoption and groundbreaking success.
- As hydrogen's presence grows across various sectors, technological innovation in electrolysis technologies will play a crucial role, with R&D prioritizing overcoming each technology's challenges for clean hydrogen production.
- For widespread adoption of hydrogen, international collaboration is key to link global supply chains and infrastructure, establish certification frameworks, and join forces across industries and policy domains.
- The event will emphasize cost reduction and market viability as a means to bring clean hydrogen closer to cost parity with traditional fossil fuels, focusing on economies of scale, technological improvements, and leveraging government support.
