Green hydrogen – new opportunities for sustainable development in the Global South?

Stamm, Andreas / Rita Strohmaier
Externe Publikationen (2023)

in: Rural21 57 (1), 16-18

International observers link many hopes for global sustainable development to the use of green hydrogen. Hydrogen produced via electrolysis and using renewable energies is a carbon-free energy carrier and feedstock for several industrial processes, e.g. in steel production and petrochemistry. To date, the application of hydrogen for fertiliser production has received insufficient attention. Globally and for the developing world, it offers at least a "triple win option": greenhouse gas emissions from natural gas-based fertiliser production can be avoided, developing countries may save foreign currency, which is today used for importing gas from, e.g. Russia. Finally, farmers may become less exposed to fluctuations in natural gas prices. An assured supply of fertilisers produced with local renewable energies can be an important element of food security. The article discusses the options and uncertainties related to green hydrogen production and digs deeper into the options of fertiliser production.