Hydrogen investment hits $130bn-plus mark on energy security, resilience rise

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Committed investment in clean hydrogen has hit the $130-billion-plus mark, driven by global energy security and resilience issues, with 90% of 570 clean hydrogen projects already under construction or in operation.

"Clean hydrogen's no longer a future bet," the Brussels-based Hydrogen Council reported in Global Hydrogen Compass 2026 on Thursday, September 10.

Construction of a capacity of 6.9-million hydrogen tonnes a year is under way right now.

Operational capacity has nearly doubled in the last 12 months, and based on the pipeline, it is predicted that operational capacity will double again in 2027, an upbeat Hydrogen Council CEO Ivana Jemelkova forecast during a global webinar in which Hyundai vice-chair and Hydrogen Council co-chair Jaehoon Chang, Sinopec vice-chair Zhao Dong and Port of Rotterdam Authority CEO Boudewijn Siemons also took part.

The latest report, co-authored with McKinsey & Company and informed by the perspectives of some 70 global CEOs, coincides with shifting geopolitical priorities, which are strengthening hydrogen's role as a "strategic resilience lever".

As governments seek to strengthen energy security, build more flexible economies and support long-term industrial growth, hydrogen is receiving renewed attention for its ability to help address multiple strategic priorities alongside deep decarbonisation, complementing growing electrification and use of renewable-energy sources.

Geographically, China remains the largest market, accounting for more than half of global committed renewable hydrogen capacity.

During the webinar covered by Mining Weekly, Dong's call was for the creation of a global system to facilitate large-scale cross-border green hydrogen trade.

"We need to promote key international standards such as full life-cycle carbon-footprint verification for green hydrogen," said Dong.

Describing hydrogen as the new-energy future, Dong urged all parties to embrace openness and cooperation. "We need to enhance communication and programmatic cooperation in innovation, mutual recognition of standards, and joint investment."

While he was talking, it was reported out of Oslo that Norwegian hydrogen enabler Nel ASA had entered into a framework agreement with Hydrasun to establish dedicated assembly and integration capabilities for the MC Series, Nel's modular and scalable proton exchange membrane (PEM) technology platform. Interesting for South Africa is that PEM is catalysed by platinum group metals (PGMs), which South Africa hosts in abundance.