International Partnership for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells in the Economy (IPHE)

Source-This post on International Partnership for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells in the Economy (IPHE) is based on the article “41st Steering Committee of International Partnership for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells in the Economy deliberates on the deployment of Green Hydrogen and its Derivatives” published in “PIB” on 20th March 2024.

Why in the News?

Recently, the 41^st Steering Committee Meeting of the International Partnership for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells in the Economy (IPHE) was hosted by India in New Delhi.

About International Partnership for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells in the Economy (IPHE)

1. About: The International Partnership for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells in the Economy (IPHE) is an international inter-governmental partnership. It was established in 2003.

2. Member: It consists of 23 member countries and the European Commission. The member countries include major economies such as the United States, Japan, Germany, China, South Korea, Canada, and India.

3. Mission: The IPHE’s mission is to facilitate and accelerate the transition to clean and efficient energy and mobility systems using hydrogen and fuel cell technologies across applications and sectors.

4. IPHE serves as a mechanism to organize and implement effective, efficient, and focused international research, development, demonstration, and commercial utilization activities related to hydrogen and fuel cell technologies.

5. It also provides a forum for sharing information on policies and technology status, as well as on initiatives, codes, and standards to accelerate the cost-effective transition to the use of fuel cells and hydrogen in the economy.

Green Hydrogen and its derivatives

1. Green hydrogen, also known as GH2, is a type of hydrogen that is produced using renewable energy sources. It is considered a key element for the deep decarbonization of energy mix.

2. Derivatives of green hydrogen, such as green ammonia and green methanol, are long-term energy carriers that store surplus renewable electricity produced during periods of low demand.

Note: Green ammonia is produced from renewable energy sources and has the potential to play an important role in reducing the world’s dependence on fossil fuels.

Green methanol is a key product in the chemical industry. It can be used to produce other chemicals such as formaldehyde, acetic acid, and plastics, or replace methanol as the main element.

4. They can be used as an industrial energy source, green feedstock, or green transportation fuel.

5. These derivatives enable the transportation and storage of renewable electricity, thus helping to decarbonize hard-to-abate sectors (such as heavy industry, chemicals and materials, and heavy transportation) and creating a resilient future energy system.

UPSC Syllabus: Environment