Operational clean hydrogen production projects to ‘double globally’

Globally, 326 clean hydrogen production projects have been announced and are at various stages of development

The number of operational clean hydrogen production projects worldwide is set to at least double in the next five years, according to research by international law firm Pillsbury.

The report adds that 108 are set to start producing the gas by the end of 2028, which would equate to an additional 48GW of power coming online in the next five years.

Pillsbury’s interactive global tracker of hydrogen projects has found that, alongside strong projected growth, the number of global zero and low-carbon hydrogen production projects has grown significantly, with 94 projects already producing hydrogen.

Since 2021, when Pillsbury first published its hydrogen map, the number of tracked production projects at any stage of development has increased by almost 50%.

Of the 108 projects set to start producing hydrogen in the next five years, Europe is leading the charge with 64 new projects set to come online; Asia has 18; Australasia 14; there are ten in North America. There is one project each in South America and Africa.

Globally, 326 clean hydrogen production projects have been announced and are at various stages of development. This includes 310 green hydrogen projects and 16 blue hydrogen projects.

In terms of GW electricity produced from hydrogen energy in the next five years, Australia is front of the pack with almost 28GW due to come online. The Netherlands comes in second with nearly 7GW; Ireland nearly 4GW; and China and Spain with 2GW each.

“The EU was the first to roll out measures to support the development of hydrogen, so we’re ultimately seeing the market reap what it sowed. The US has thrown its full weight behind catching up with the EU, so it’s not surprising we’ve seen strong recent growth, something that will likely continue in the years ahead. The hydrogen hubs program will be a significant moment in the hydrogen race,” said Elina Teplinsky, Pillsbury’s global energy industry leader.

“Hydrogen is multifaceted in applications and ability to decarbonize many sectors, but some hurdles still need to be cleared before we have a viable global clean hydrogen market. One of which is the elementary question of how hydrogen will be transported in a cost-effective manner.”