Source organisation:

Green Energy Institute

Objective:

Mitigation

Sectors:

Carbon fixation and abatement

Renewable energy

Energy efficiency

Transport

Cross-sectoral

Cross-sectoral enabler:

Capacity building and training

Communication and awareness

Innovation & RDD

Publication date:

Wednesday, June 14, 2023

Busan, South Korea - the CTCN together with the Green Energy Institute (GEI), Korea, and in partnership with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), USA, have just concluded the first of a series of regional capacity building activities focusing on Green Hydrogen for energy system transformation. 

As nations increasingly move towards net zero emission targets, the utilization of green hydrogen has gained traction due to its significant potential to decarbonize various sectors and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 

The capacity building program on green hydrogen aimed to increase National Designated Entities' (NDEs) knowledge related to green hydrogen technologies. During the four-day knowledge training, all types of hydrogen technologies available for future RD&D collaboration were presented, clustered around three sub-themes: a) Past, current, and future of Hydrogen technologies, b) National Hydrogen policy instruments, and c) Social and behavioural shift instruments.

Tailored to the knowledge needs of the Asia-Pacific region, the first capacity building initiative focused on Green Hydrogen Technology for System Transformation in Energy and Sustainable Mobility Sectors. The event was attended by 45 participants from 15 countries from the region, including Bhutan, Cambodia, Laos, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, Mongolia, Nepal, Japan, Korea, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, and the Maldives. Experts and scientists joined from different departments and institutions ranging from the Ministry of Energy and Transportation, Universities’ engineering and climate technology faculties, and local government research institutes.  
Green hydrogen, can be utilized across diverse sectors, including transportation, industry, and energy generation, offering an array of benefits that make it an attractive alternative to traditional fossil fuel-based systems.

Closing the H2 knowledge gap

Across the world, hydrogen use for direct reduction for primary steelmaking is near-commercial. Following the establishment of national economic and regulatory policy instruments for green hydrogen technology, developed countries like Sweden, Australia and Germany have not only implemented first pilot scale examples but also multiple socio-behavioural change projects. 
For developing countries, who are most in need of energy systems transformations, the design and implementation of public policy instruments supporting the innovation of green hydrogen for system transformation is in early stages.

“When it comes to energy systems transformation and energy systems resiliance, being able to make informed choices, with the best available science, data and knowledge is the only way to make future-proof decisions for our communities” said Hyun Seo Park, Principal Research Scientist, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Republic of Korea. 

“Green Hydrogen will play a leading role in preventing global warming and on the way to the carbon neutrality. I hope this 4-day capacity building programme will help participants to develop policies and systems to support Green Hydrogen Economy and respond to climate change.” Dongsik Joo, President, Green Energy Institute.

Participants’ takeaways 

• Adoption of green hydrogen technologies requires renewable energy infrastructure. Countries without such infrastructure in place, may find it challenging.
• Investment in developing a vision and roadmap on green hydrogen technology regardless of renewable energy infrastructure is essential for countries to ride on the global green hydrogen value-chain, when the opportunity arises. 
• When the innovation of green hydrogen technology reduces its current high cost to a market-acceptable level, the countries with the vision in place will be able to take its benefit first. 

The training was followed by RD&D collaboration bridge-building activities at the World Climate Industry Expo. At the Expo, with the support of CTCN, participants took a leading role in matching collaborative RD&D opportunities and needs of 8 Korean Government Research Institutes and their national institutions. Walk-in networking opportunities to discuss strategic partnerships for RD&D in energy systems transformations were also made available to explore the latest climate technologies from over 30 Research institutes.

“This program is highly applicable to Sri Lanka at this stage of renewable energy development. We have planned to  increase our renewable energy share up to 70% by 2030 and Green Hydrogen Energy technology is an ideal renewable source of energy. Our Carbon Net Zero 2050 Road Map and Strategic Plan is under validation. The skills and knowledge we gained during the CTCN training will be very useful.” Leel Randeni, Director of Climate Change Secretariat and NDE Sri Lanka 

The Regional Capacity Building Program on Green Hydrogen, part of CTCN’s services to foster the endogenous capacity of climate technology in developing countries, will continue in the  Latin American and the Caribbean region, and in the African region.
 

CTCN Keyword Matches:

Energy planning

Energy efficiency

Energy distribution

Hydrogen infrastructure

Renewable energy infrastructure

Hydrogen technologies

Renewable energy

Hydrogen infrastructure