Potential and use of green hydrogen

1- CONTEXTE

BOAD, in collaboration with the Development Bank of South Africa (DBSA) and the UNFCCC Climate Technology Centre and Network, is organising a side-event for the benefit of COP participants on the potential and use of green hydrogen in Africa, which is an important renewable energy source for the WAEMU countries and for the African continent as a whole.

Hydrogen, as the fuel of the future, has attracted worldwide interest in recent years. Today, hydrogen is mainly produced from fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas, resulting in high carbon emissions and a considerable impact on the climate. The use of renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, geothermal and hydroelectric power makes it possible to produce 'green' hydrogen, which is now seen as a major energy carrier for sustainable energy systems, in line with the global climate agenda.

Like other renewable energy and energy efficiency services, green hydrogen contributes significantly to achieving SDG 7 in WAEMU countries, promoting economic growth and leading the region towards a low-carbon trajectory. However, green hydrogen technologies and services remain largely underdeveloped in the countries.

To date, over 90% of hydrogen is produced by gasification using fossil fuels. But the objective, and the urgent need, is to develop hydrogen production from the electrolysis of water, using renewable energy, which makes it possible to separate the elements - oxygen and hydrogen - and produce de-carbonised, or green, hydrogen.

Green hydrogen production in Africa is expected to reach 50 million tonnes per year by 2035. So it's clear that green hydrogen can help accelerate low-carbon economic growth across the continent and reduce emissions by 40%.

The West African Development Bank (BOAD), together with the South African Development Bank (DBSA) and the Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN), is organising this workshop to explore possible solutions to the difficulties of exploring and exploiting green hydrogen. The aim of the workshop is to analyse: (i) the current state of the green hydrogen market and infrastructure; (ii) the main catalysts needed to facilitate a transition to green hydrogen; (iii) the technologies needed to exploit green hydrogen.

2. OBJECTIVE AND EXPECTED OUTCOME OF THE WORKSHOP

The overall objective of the workshop is to contribute to the acceleration of low-carbon economic growth on the continent through knowledge sharing, capacity building and the mobilisation of resources for the deployment of green hydrogen technologies and services.

The expected results at the end of the workshop are as follows:

- Green Hydrogen Potential in the sub-region for the benefit of the energy, commercial and industrial sectors is understood;

- Current and future hydrogen technology need for the benefit of the energy, commercial and industrial sectors is understood;

- activities to strengthen existing national hydrogen policies are identified;

- private sector participation in the workshop is effective so as to promote a sustainable economy.