Green Hydrogen in the Global South: Opportunities and Challenges

Abstract

Green hydrogen, derived from renewable electricity, has emerged as a promising solution to accelerate the global energy transition. Several countries in the Global South are supposed to play a vital role in the future of this technology due to favorable climatic conditions, perceived availability of land for large-scale renewable infrastructure development, and the initiation of national political initiatives. But will green hydrogen development differ from the previous, often ambivalent, experiences of renewable development in these countries? Will investors invest more consciously in achieving a quality life in peripheral regions to mitigate the risks of environmental and social disruptions and ensure energy justice in energy production? What does a transformative investment design entail to ensure equitable distribution of the benefits of green hydrogen development across the Global North and South? Researchers from the networks 'Transformative Innovation Policy Consortium' and 'Inside the Investment Frontiers' at Utrecht University collaborated with experts from universities in South Africa, Brazil, Germany, and other institutes in the Netherlands to explore answers to these crucial questions. This report accounts for the main results and findings obtained across the project.