Green hydrogen towards sustainable development

GREEN HYDROGEN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - The consequences on our planet by climate change, deforestation and uncontrolled construction are plain to see. But still all is not lost and we have time to recover. There are numerous ways to coexist peacefully with all that surrounds us. Among these, the most studied today are the new sustainable energy sources. In particular, hope is placed in green hydrogen as a solution for sustainable development, especially in the field of heavy industry.

Increasing focus on sustainable development

The catastrophic events of recent years have led more and more people to become aware of the issue of sustainable development. Even the state organizations and governments themselves have not remained impassive and are beginning to impose the first maneuvers in the ecological field, understanding more and more how primary this issue is.

"One of the great advances of recent years is the support of institutions for sustainable projects. - reflects Oliver Camponovo - The first protocols of a few years ago have never found a strong feedback as in this period"

The examples we can give in this regard are many, but to speak more clearly are the Paris Climate Agreement and the UN Agenda 2030, which provide for 17 goals to be achieved by 2030. Both proposals have been approved and signed by many nations, which in doing so have committed themselves to implementing policies of change and implementation in all sectors of the economy.

Green hydrogen for sustainable development of heavy industry

If it is not difficult for other sectors to implement ecological renewal in many areas, that is not the case. Indeed, in many economic areas, renewable energy can replace fossil fuels. For industries such as steel, chemicals and building materials, ideas such as green hydrogen are needed to implement sustainable development.

"The common goal is to create a large green hydrogen production using offshore wind energy. Up to 4 gigawatts by 2030, in fact, that will realize one of the targets set by the Dutch climate agreement. But the ambition goes further. North2 wants to increase to more than 10 gigawatts by 2040. By then, the production of green hydrogen, which will initially be produced in Eemshaven and subsequently also offshore, will be about 1,000,000 tons per year, reducing carbon emissions by over 8-10 megatons per year. Supported by the Groningen provincial authority, North2 does not rule out the possibility of other serious partners joining the project later".

This is the project that’s trying to get North2 through.  The North2 consortium of Equinor, Gasunie, Groningen Seaports, RWE and Shell Nederland, is developing the largest green hydrogen project in Europe. Their ambition is not so far from being achieved and their contribution will greatly benefit heavy industry.

Deloitte and the feasibility study for an investment in green hydrogen and sustainable development

Deloitte offers Audit & Assurance, Consulting, Financial Advisory, Risk Advisory, Tax and Legal services to clients from the public and private sectors. This agency wants to implement the North2 project to include new partners in their research, which is why it is in charge of carrying out a feasibility study that will support a final investment decision in 2024. The study will be conducted on this basis:

• developing a factual view of the role of hydrogen in achieving the EU’s energy transition objectives, while achieving societal and economic benefits.
• engaging potential customers from all industries to understand their needs and how hydrogen can help them decarbonise while maintaining competitiveness.
• clarify what will be necessary for North2 to be economically viable.