Innovation Insights Brief: New Hydrogen Economy – Hype or Hope?

Hydrogen and fuel cell technologies have experienced cycles of high expectations followed by impractical realities. This time around, however, falling renewable energy and fuel cell prices, stringent climate change requirements and the discrete involvement of China are step changes. The combination of these factors is leading to realistic potential for hydrogen’s role in the Grand Transition.

Having conducted exploratory interviews with leaders from all around the globe, the World Energy Council is featuring eight use cases which illustrate hydrogen’s potential. These range from decarbonising hard-to-abate sectors such as heat, industry and transport to supporting the integration of renewables and providing an energy storage solution.
Dr Angela Wilkinson, Secretary General and former Senior Director, Scenarios and Business Insights: “Green and blue hydrogen can refresh those parts of the energy system transition that electrification cannot reach.”

This Innovation Insights Brief is part of a series of publications by the World Energy Council focused on Innovation. In a fast-paced era of disruptive changes, this brief aims at facilitating strategic sharing of knowledge between the Council’s members and the other energy stakeholders and policy shapers.