SDG7 and green hydrogen: a solution for the energy of the future
Nov 12, 2024
Sustainable
The Hydrogen Roadmap is presented, which aims to become a benchmark for the development of sustainable energy, thereby promoting strategic sectors such as industry, transport and agriculture
September 30, 2021 will go down in Colombian history as the day when one of the pillars of the energy transition that the country wants to lead is launched: the Hydrogen Roadmap.
With this roadmap, the Colombian government aims to achieve a zero carbon footprint by 2050 and reduce the country’s CO2 emissions by 51% by 2030. Both are ambitious goals to make the country a pioneer in sustainable energy development and to promote strategic sectors such as industry, transport and agriculture.
The Hydrogen Roadmap in Colombia aims to develop pilot projects for blue hydrogen as soon as possible and for green hydrogen by 2022. The state-owned oil company Ecopetrol intends to commission a 50 kW hydrogen electrolysis system at its refinery in Cartagena in the first half of the year.
Colombia has a strong interest in preserving its environment at the cultural, economic, tourism and social levels. It is also a country whose energy production comes mainly from renewable sources and which has seen a spectacular upsurge in renewable generation capacity in recent years. The country also has sound legislation to combat climate change.
It is also a country whose energy production comes mainly from renewable sources and which has seen a spectacular upsurge in renewable generation capacity in recent years
Colombia has a strong interest in preserving its environment at the cultural, economic, tourism and social levels. It is also a country whose energy production comes mainly from renewable sources and which has seen a spectacular upsurge in renewable generation capacity in recent years. The country also has sound legislation to combat climate change.
Renewable hydrogen also plays an important role in the decarbonisation of strategic sectors such as heavy transport, maritime transport or complex industrial processes. This feature can also be a clear competitive advantage for the country in a global environment marked by climate emergency.
Colombia is not only a country with abundant natural resources, but also has a privileged geographical location with access to two oceans and proximity to the Panama Canal. These are key advantages when it comes to positioning itself as a leading exporter for the United States, European and Asian markets.
Hydrogen could also be an incentive to transform the Colombian economy and solve some of the country’s biggest structural problems. For example inequality: it is estimated that the hydrogen value chain could boost the economy by about $5.5 billion and create about 15,000 high-value jobs within 10 years by developing innovative industrial capacity and technological know-how and mobilising investment.
The strategic document released at the end of last year, lays the groundwork for hydrogen deployment with a safe and reliable regulatory framework to produce 3 GW of green hydrogen electrolysis and produce 50 units of blue hydrogen power per year. The aim is to reduce emissions by between 2.5 and 3 million tons of CO2 over the 2020-2030 period.
The hydrogen economy must focus on communities to improve their conditions and meet their needs based on their capabilities and aspirations
The Hydrogen Roadmap is structured into five pillars for sustainable development at all levels, involving public and private entities:
Green hydrogen is a key element in achieving carbon neutrality, as it enables the creation of a sustainable economy and better management of the energy system and energy transport and storage.
The development of the hydrogen value chain enables the transition to a low-emission, export-oriented economy, which can be achieved by working with the world’s major economies.
Low-emission hydrogen is a way to sustain jobs in sectors affected by decarbonisation, create new industrial structures, strengthen mining or oil-producing areas and develop regions with little cohesion.
The Colombian government is committed to making this sector a driving force for economic, social and environmental development. To this end, it is taking the first steps towards creating a global hydrogen industry by establishing a legal framework, providing incentives and promoting pilot projects.
The hydrogen economy must focus on communities to improve their conditions and meet their needs based on their capabilities and aspirations. Training, socialisation of benefits, dialogue with communities and protection of natural resources will play a crucial role.
On this basis and according to the same roadmap, low-emission hydrogen will be promoted by focusing on the most competitive applications to develop the market until 2030. From there on , demand is expected to increase both domestically and internationally, in order to begin exporting to other geographies and develop the technology for application to other less mature sectors before the 2050 horizon.