Power-to-X (PtX), the conversion of renewable electricity into molecules that can be used as fossil-free fuels and feedstocks in industry or transport, is an indispensable technology for a successful transition towards a climate-neutral, defossilised economy and society.
Many developing countries and emerging economies have great potential to produce PtX products including green hydrogen. For them, this presents not only an opportunity to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and dependency on importing fossil fuels but also to become exporters of PtX products which contributes to economic development. From a policy and regulatory perspective, few countries have strategies and roadmaps announced and implemented while a majority, especially in the developing world, are only at the beginning of forming a framework for PtX/green hydrogen.
Although a global PtX market ramp-up in itself promises benefits with respect to climate- neutrality and sustainability, these benefits are by no means automatically unlocked. In designing supply chains and policy frameworks, key elements of sustainability need to be taken into account in order to ensure long-lasting positive impacts for all stakeholders directly or indirectly involved. In this context, sustainability means more than reducing (carbon) emissions. A successful market ramp-up of PtX means taking into account also other environmental, social and economic development challenges.
Against the background of PtX/green hydrogen strategies still being developed, the Wuppertal Institute develops concise briefings on certain sustainability concerns in the PtX context. In so doing, interviews with experts and a digital discussion series have been carried out. These papers will inform relevant stakeholders and decision-makers enabling them to design appropriate PtX frameworks.
The briefing papers (project output) will deal with:
- Carbon source
- Land-use
- Desalination
- Benefits for local communities
- Stakeholder participation
- Skills and jobs