Hope or hype? NZ needs to be realistic about the clean energy potential of green hydrogen

The current failure of a deal to ship hydrogen-powered vans to New Zealand, and the removing of a NZ$100 million authorities rebate scheme for inexperienced hydrogen customers within the 2024 finances, make a transition to the much-lauded power know-how more and more much less sure.

The federal government had invested $6.5 million for the purchase of as much as 25 heavy freight hydrogen vans as a part of a wider energy technique due by the top of the 12 months. However the US firm Hyzon, which makes hydrogen fuel-cell vans and had been modifying diesel vans to make use of hydrogen, pulled out at quick discover.

Nonetheless, curiosity in hydrogen for future transport and energy systems has soared globallyand New Zealand isn’t any exception. However we argue that essential voices have been largely lacking from the controversy right here.

In New Zealand, inexperienced hydrogen (which is produced with electrical energy from renewable sources) has attracted government support of $186.3 million from 2017 to 2023. This supplied funding for a hydrogen refueling community, automobile conversions and purchases, analysis, and the institution of the New Zealand Hydrogen Council (now Hydrogen New Zealand).

Proponents of inexperienced hydrogen argue it’s important for fueling financial sectors they imagine can be arduous to decarbonize by direct electrification. In addition to heavy highway transport, this consists of delivery and fertilizer manufacturing.

However opinions differ significantly on which sectors to give attention to, and whether or not hydrogen is the only option.

Evolution of the narrative

Within the wake of the earlier authorities’s ban on new offshore oil and fuel exploration, the 2019 H2 Taranaki roadmap outlined a imaginative and prescient for the area as a frontrunner in hydrogen manufacturing.

Former power minister Megan Woods strengthened this, indicating her authorities could be fascinated about any related financial alternatives. This largely optimistic narrative continued in two additional authorities experiences.

The primary, A Vision for Hydrogen in New Zealandprompt the case for hydrogen was already settled:

“Hydrogen is poised to fulfill its potential as a clean alternative to hydrocarbons in the global pursuit of decarbonization to address climate change.”

Improvement of inexperienced hydrogen was largely implicit within the second report, the Interim Hydrogen Roadmapwhich aimed to: “optimize the potential for green hydrogen to contribute to New Zealand’s emissions reductions, economic development, and energy sector to the extent compatible with our broader electrification goals.”

We analyzed these experiences utilizing a content material evaluation method centered on figuring out how typically strengths, weaknesses, alternatives or threats are talked about. This revealed the phrases “opportunities” and “challenges” had been used incessantly, whereas “weaknesses” and “threats” had been absent.

The usage of “strengths” was confined to the perceived benefits of New Zealand as a location for hydrogen manufacturing. The place difficulties had been recognized, they had been framed as challenges fairly than weaknesses.

This optimistic tone is mostly mirrored in descriptions of a number of initiatives, together with green hydrogen research at GNS Science, and worldwide collaborations such because the German-NZ Green Hydrogen alliance.

Media experiences have usually mirrored the enthusiastic narrative. Of 83 articles on inexperienced hydrogen revealed in New Zealand between 2019 and 2023, solely 15 (18%) contained any essential evaluation.

Crucial voices must be heard

Whereas some specialists have voiced critical issues about inexperienced hydrogen, this has not featured prominently within the debate in New Zealand.

For instance, analysis by College of Cambridge engineering skilled David Cebon reveals battery electric vehicles are superior to hydrogen vehicles for heavy transport.

The emergence of quick (5 minutes or much less) automated and manual battery-swap programs, which offer an alternative choice to high-powered fast-charging programs, helps this level.

Local weather and power strategist Michael Barnardwho covers the green hydrogen debate extensivelywrites: “Since 2000, application after application of hydrogen has found it to be inefficient, ineffective and expensive compared to obvious alternatives.”

A German rail firm which launched the world’s first hydrogen line final 12 months has since opted for cheaper all-electric trains. Rising prices have additionally compelled one Austrian state to abandon plans to introduce hydrogen buses.

Latest research suggests developments in battery-run and fast-charging electrical vans might quickly make hydrogen gasoline cells superfluous in highway transport typically.

UK power analyst Michael Liebreich has quantified the immense scale, important impracticalities, huge subsidies and prices related to green hydrogen.

Liebreich’s “hydrogen ladder” ranks each precise and potential makes use of. It supplies an evidence-informed information on the place to greatest focus consideration and sources. Based mostly on this, the earlier authorities’s funding for the manufacture of inexperienced fertilizer (for which hydrogen is an enter) was a wise allocation.

In New Zealand, a 2019 report sponsored by business and the federal government, and a letter from the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environmenthave each supplied some essential evaluation of the potential for inexperienced hydrogen.

In the direction of a brand new narrative

The earlier authorities’s dedication to finalize New Zealand’s hydrogen technique, and to ship an general energy strategystays in place. However we want a extra nuanced perspective.

This should begin with an acknowledgment that hydrogen is an power service (which needs to be produced from different sources of power), and never an power useful resource like photo voltaic radiation, wind or hydro.

We’d like an method that may proceed to adapt to modifications in “hard to abate” sectors of the power system. Critiques of inexperienced hydrogen must enter the dialogue if we’re to make knowledgeable selections.

Authorities coverage on this subject have to be knowledgeable by unbiased recommendation free from business pursuits. A brand new inexperienced hydrogen narrative will allow us to focus our restricted sources on functions with the most effective probability of delivering on New Zealand’s decarbonization and sustainability aspirations.

This might embrace key New Zealand industries switching from fossil fuels to hydrogen to supply green steel, green ammonia and fertilizer and green methanol.

This text is republished from The Conversation beneath a Artistic Commons license. Learn the original article.