During the 10th Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM10) meeting, a new global international hydrogen partnership was announced under the leadership of the United States, Canada, Japan, the Netherlands and the European Commission with participation of several other CEM member countries.
According to the press release, it is the first time that the matter of hydrogen and fuel technologies will be put on the spotlight, concerning the global clean energy transition.
The Hydrogen Initiative will provide global partnership on policies, programs and projects to accelerate the commercial deployment of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies across all sectors of the economy.
The collaboration will continue the successes coming from other global collaboration on hydrogen such as the Hydrogen Challenge under Mission Innovation, the ongoing work through the International Partnership for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells in the Economy and global analysis carried out through the International Energy Agency (IEA).
In addition, the partnership aims to highlight the challenges and the opportunities that hydrogen has in the global transformation in favour of a clean, affordable and reliable energy sector, including global supply chains for this new energy vector.
The new Hydrogen Initiative will focus on how hydrogen can contribute to cleaner energy systems, while promoting sustainability, resiliency and energy security. Initial work carried out through the initiative will focus on three different areas:
- Helping to ensure successful deployment of hydrogen within current industrial applications;
- Enabling deployment of hydrogen technologies in transport (e.g freight, mass transit, light-rail, marine);
- Exploring the role of hydrogen in meeting the energy needs of communities.
The private sector also plays an important role in this global transition, and the Hydrogen Initiative will leverage and benefit from the knowledge, expertise and early investments made by both the private and public sectors. Leading industry stakeholders and collaborative forums such as the Hydrogen Council will contribute to work undertaken through the initiative.
U.S. Under Secretary of Energy Mark W. Menezes commented in light of this partnership
Hydrogen will continue to be an important part of our all-of-the-above energy strategy, and will contribute to creating a promising energy future that is bountiful, clean, secure, and free.
