Policy & Socio-Economics

We develop a bidding strategy for a hybrid power plant combining co-located wind turbines and an electrolyzer constructing a price-quantity bidding curve for the day-ahead electricity market while optimally scheduling hydrogen production. Without risk management single imbalance pricing leads to an all-or-nothing trading strategy which we term “betting”. To address this we propose a data-driven pragmatic approach that leverages contextual information to train linear decision policies for both power bidding and hydrogen scheduling. By introducing explicit risk constraints to limit imbalances we move from the all-or-nothing approach to a “trading” strategy where the plant diversifies its power trading decisions. We evaluate the model under three scenarios: when the plant is either conditionally allowed always allowed or not allowed to buy power from the grid which impacts the green certification of the hydrogen produced. Comparing our data-driven strategy with an oracle model that has perfect foresight we show that the risk-constrained data-driven approach delivers satisfactory performance.

To round off Season 5 the team are taking the podcast to COP28 in Dubai and providing listeners with a bit of texture including what the event was like to attend as well as sharing a snapshot of some of the varied voices and discussions that took place. Having had a little time for reflection Alicia Chris and Patrick also offer their thoughts and takeaways on what this COP might mean for the future.

COP28 was the first in nearly 30 years to feature hydrogen as part of the Presidential Action Agenda.

The podcast can be found on their website.

This review explores the current status of green hydrogen integration into energy and industrial ecosystems. By considering notable examples of existing and developing green hydrogen initiatives combined with insights from the relevant scientific literature this paper illustrates the practical implementation of those systems according to their main end use: power and heat generation mobility industry or their combination. Main patterns are highlighted in terms of sectoral applications geographical distribution development scales storage solutions electrolyzer technology grid interaction and financial viability. Open challenges are also addressed including the high production costs an underdeveloped transport and distribution infrastructure the geopolitical aspects and the weak business models with the industrial sector appearing as the most favorable environment where such challenges may first be overcome in the medium term.

Hydrogen is increasingly recognized as a clean energy vector and storage medium yet its viability and strategic role in the Western Balkans remain underexplored. This study provides the first comprehensive techno-economic environmental and strategic evaluation of hydrogen production pathways in Albania. Results show clear trade-offs across options. The levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH) is estimated at 8.76 €/kg H2 for grid-connected 7.75 €/kg H2 for solar and 7.66 €/kg H2 for wind electrolysis—values above EU averages and reliant on lower electricity costs and efficiency gains. In contrast fossil-based hydrogen via steam methane reforming (SMR) is cheaper at 3.45 €/kg H2 rising to 4.74 €/kg H2 with carbon capture and storage (CCS). Environmentally Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) results show much lower Global Warming Potential.

Hydrogen energy is critical in replacing fossil fuels and achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Three measures can be implemented to promote hydrogen energy: reduce the cost of low-carbon hydrogen through technological improvements increase the production capacity of low-carbon hydrogen by stimulating investment and enhance hydrogen use as an energy carrier and in industrial processes by demand-side policies. This article examines how effective these measures are if successfully implemented in boosting the hydrogen market and reducing global economy-wide carbon emissions using a global computable general equilibrium model. The results show that all the measures increase the production and use of low-carbon hydrogen whether implemented alone or jointly. Notably the emissions reduced by joint implementation of all the measures in 2050 become 2.5 times the sum of emissions reduced by individual implementation indicating a considerable multiplier effect. This suggests supply and demand side policies be implemented jointly to maximize their impact on reducing emissions.

Developing countries including Ghana face challenges ensuring access to clean and reliable cooking fuels and technologies. Traditional biomass sources mainly used in most developing countries for cooking contribute to deforestation and indoor air pollution necessitating a shift towards environmentally friendly alternatives. The study’s primary objective is to evaluate the economic viability of using solar PV-based green hydrogen as a sustainable fuel for cooking in Ghana. The study adopted well-established equations to investigate the economic performance of the proposed system. The findings revealed that the levelized cost of hydrogen using the discounted cash flow approach is about 89% 155% and 190% more than electricity liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and charcoal. This implies that using the hydrogen produced for cooking fuel is not cost-competitive compared to LPG charcoal and electricity. However with sufficient capital subsidies to lower the upfront costs the analysis suggests solar PV-based hydrogen could become an attractive alternative cooking fuel. In addition switching from firewood to solar PVbased hydrogen for cooking yields the highest carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions savings across the cities analysed. Likewise replacing charcoal with hydrogen also offers substantial CO2 emissions savings though lower than switching from firewood. Correspondingly switching from LPG to hydrogen produces lower CO2 emissions savings than firewood and charcoal. The study findings could contribute to the growing body of knowledge on sustainable energy solutions offering practical insights for policymakers researchers and industry stakeholders seeking to promote clean cooking adoption in developing economies.

Despite uncertainties surrounding the hydrogen economy’s emergence in terms of technological innovation production storage and transport policy and regulation economic viability and environmental impact coun tries worldwide actively pursue initiatives to engage in this critical energy transition. Politicians analysts and global experts see ‘clean’ hydrogen as the ultimate solution for addressing the climate crisis. This optimism is shared by several major oil and gas-exporting nations which are investing heavily in hydrogen infrastructure to establish themselves as future global hubs. Oman Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are especially well-positioned benefiting from strategic advantages over other hydrogen-producing regions in the Global South. Advocates in these countries view hydrogen as a potential ‘silver bullet’ for sustaining political and economic influence in a world increasingly shaped by climate constraints. Western technology and expertise play a significant role in supporting these efforts. By using various qualitative methods this paper employs and expand the concept of technopolitics to evaluate the role of industrialized nations in endorsing the Gulf states’ authoritarian top-down techno-optimistic approach to their sustainability agenda.

This report shows how the infrastructure that exists today can evolve from one based on the supply of fossil fuels to one providing the backbone of a clean hydrogen system. The ambitious government hydrogen targets across the UK will only be met with clarity focus and partnership. The gas networks are ready to play their part in the UK’s energy future. They have a plan know what is needed to deliver it and are taking the necessary steps to do just that.

Supporters of hydrogen energy urge scaling up technology and reducing costs for competitiveness. This paper explores how hydrogen energy technologies (HET) are perceived by Australia’s general population and considers the way members of the public imagine their role in the implementation of hydrogen energy now and into the future. The study combines a nationally representative survey (n = 403) and semi-structured interviews (n = 30). Results show age and gender relationships with self-reported hydrogen knowledge. Half of the participants obtained hydrogen information from televised media. Strong support was observed for renewable hydrogen while coal (26%) and natural gas (41%) versions had less backing. Participants sought more safety-related information (41% expressed concern). Most felt uncertain about influencing hydrogen decisions and did not necessarily recognise they had agency beyond their front fence. Exploring the link between political identity and agency in energy decision-making is needed with energy democracy a potentially productive direction.

As the global energy transition progresses a range of drivers and barriers will continue to shape consumer attitudes and behavioural intentions towards emerging low-carbon technologies. The innovation-decision process for technologies composing the residential sector such as hydrogen-fuelled heating and cooking appliances is inherently governed by the complex interplay between perceptual cognitive and emotional factors. In response this study responds to the call for an integrated research perspective to advance theoretical and empirical insights on consumer engagement in the domestic hydrogen transition. Drawing on online survey data collected in the United Kingdom where a policy decision on ‘hydrogen homes’ is set for 2026 this study systematically explores whether an integrated modelling approach supports higher levels of explanatory and predictive power. Leveraging the foundations of the unified theory of domestic hydrogen acceptance the analysis suggests that production perceptions public trust perceived relative advantage safety perceptions knowledge and awareness and positive emotions will shape consumer support for hydrogen homes. Conversely perceived disruptive impacts perceived socio-economic costs financial perceptions and negative emotions may impede the domestic hydrogen transition. Consumer acceptance stands to significantly shape deployment prospects for hydrogen boilers and hobs which are perceived to be somewhat advantageous to natural gas appliances from a technological and safety perspective. The study attests to the predictive benefits of adopting an integrated theoretical perspective when modelling the early stages of the innovation-decision process while acknowledging opportunities for leveraging innovative research approaches in the future. As national hydrogen economies gain traction adopting a neuroscience-based approach may help deepen scientific understanding regarding the neural psychological and emotional signatures shaping consumer perspectives towards hydrogen homes.