Hydrogen the Groningen way. Nr 6

💦⚡️💚 Green hydrogen is ‘booming’. As the missing link in the energy transition and in the transition to sustainable industry. But how do we make hydrogen ‘big’ and make sure that everyone benefits? Read my voyage of discovery here👇 💚🌍

👉🌍👈🏽 Blog 6: They should start ... shouldn't they?👉🏾🌍👈🏽

For decades we have extracted coal, oil and gas from developing countries on a large scale. We use tankers and pipes to transport those fuels to Europe to use it there. These fossil-energy sources have brought us welfare and prosperity; the same cannot always be said for the places of origin. Or certainly not for everyone. 

Different approach

It is logical to generate green electricity in places where this can be done cheaply. So, ideally you put large solar parks in places where the sun shines each and every day, and wind turbines in places where it is always windy. Often that is also in developing countries. With electrolysis, you can use the sustainably generated electricity to produce hydrogen that is then taken to Europe through existing pipelines, just as we do with fossil energy. However, if we want to develop a large-scale international green hydrogen economy, how can we start that differently to fossil energy right from the start? In such a way that the countries where we get the energy from benefit too? In my search for answers to that question, I talked, with video calls from my room in the attic, to experts about possible conditions for responsible sustainable generation in developing countries. However, I realised that this should be preceded by a much more basic question: do African and Asian countries actually want to generate sustainable energy for others?

Emerging economies

Let’s wind back a little. According to the Paris Climate Agreement, which was signed by 195 countries, we need to reduce CO2 emissions by massive amounts over the next 30 years. In my work as a member of the Provincial Executive, I work on Energy transition and Climate and this is part of my daily work. Almost everyone wants to do something about CO2 emissions, but as soon as it becomes more specific, I often hear: “Why don't they start in ... (enter any place other than Groningen) first?”  My answer is always that they should, but that this does not discharge us from our responsibility to do something too. And ... I really believe that. Of course we can only win the energy transition and our fight against climate change, if we stop using fossil fuels all over the planet. Emerging economies are a risk in that regard. What is required to build those up in a green way? 

Stable and sustainable energy system

To find out why Africa is not yet generating sustainable energy on a large scale, I called the African Union which has all 55 African countries as members. The employee pointed me to a high-level online dialogue between the International Energy Agency and the African Union Commission on 21 May. Coronavirus ‘enabled’ me to attend that session from my attic room. The African Union sees a stable and sustainable energy system as a condition for surviving the COVID-19 crisis, but above all for the subsequent reconstruction. 

Economic cooperation

After more questions about what is required to achieve that, it emerged that they were above all looking for investors and knowledge. Could we, from Europe, be of assistance? The United Kingdom certainly thought so, and they held the UK-Africa Investment Summit in London in January. That was purely about investments, and largely in the area of sustainable energy. Former Prime Minister Tony Blair, one of the speakers, said that investments in solar panels in Africa by the British “should open a new chapter in Britain’s relationship with Africa”: in a relationship based on “economic cooperation rather than simply an aid-based, donor-recipient relationship.”

New models

That was absolutely in line with what I’m looking for. Investing in the production of sustainable electricity in a way that benefits everyone. Unfortunately that part of the summit was only about investments in solar parks in Africa with electricity for Africa itself. A good start, but I was looking for more. For solar parks and wind turbines where the electricity was converted to hydrogen to be transported to Europe. However, we need to start by answering the question as to whether developing countries actually want to produce sustainable energy for Europe. Africa still has so many sustainable steps to take. I asked this question to Lidy Nacpil and Tasmeen Essop of the Africa Renewable Energy Initiative. Lidy Nacpil said that African and Asian developing countries actually want to contribute to making other, developed countries more sustainable! Tasmeen Essop, who works for the University of Cape Town,  said that the African Union is looking for new models for developing sustainable energy. Models that are an example to the world, and that generate jobs first and foremost. That brought me one step further in my search. In Groningen, our governments, businesses and knowledge institutes have experience of that. It has got to be possible to turn that into intelligent links!