綠色氫氣被譽為天然氣的潛在替代品，成為全球重要的過渡性燃料  

由于世界各國政府向新產(chǎn)能投入數(shù)百萬美元，綠色氫氣的產(chǎn)量正在大幅增加

由于新興大國正在努力實現(xiàn)它們在全球氫氣市場上的地位，非洲和拉丁美洲的國家今年都先后宣布投資綠色氫氣 

  據(jù)美國油價網(wǎng)8月18日報道，由于各國政府投入數(shù)百萬美元發(fā)展綠色氫氣行業(yè)，綠色氫氣業(yè)務正在世界各地進一步擴大。雖然綠色氫氣生產(chǎn)在歐洲的興起已經(jīng)得到了充分的證明，但一些歐洲國家正在加大對該行業(yè)的投資，因為其他項目正在拉丁美洲和非洲等更意想不到的地區(qū)涌現(xiàn)。在多個政府和主要能源公司的支持下，綠色氫氣很可能成為世界范圍內(nèi)主要的可再生能源。 

綠色氫氣被譽為一種重要的新型清潔能源，有可能取代天然氣，并被用于氫燃料汽車——與電動汽車電池競爭。雖然綠色氫氣生產(chǎn)的成本遠高于可再生能源，但專家們預計，隨著時間的推移，加大研發(fā)投資以及擴大氫氣廠的規(guī)模，將使這項技術(shù)變得更廉價、更高效，就像太陽能和風能行業(yè)看到的那樣。 

綠色氫氣是用可再生的電力來驅(qū)動電解槽將水分解成氫氣和氧氣。然后，氣體被燃燒產(chǎn)生電力，只排放水蒸氣和暖空氣，使其無碳。這與灰色氫氣生產(chǎn)形成鮮明對比，后者由天然氣提供動力。

在大規(guī)模投資這個行業(yè)以后，歐洲和中東已經(jīng)顯著擴大了他們在綠色氫氣市場上的地位。由于全球?qū)稍偕茉葱枨蟮脑黾?，這兩個地區(qū)時下正在爭奪第一的位置。在歐洲，我們看到該行業(yè)的投資比最初預期的更多，西班牙宣布在普埃托利亞諾投資5000萬歐元，英國在菲利克斯托港投資1.5億英鎊。

8月，蘇格蘭電力公司宣布計劃在英格蘭南部的費利克斯托港建設一個大型綠色氫氣設施，為火車、卡車和船舶提供動力。該工廠預計將生產(chǎn)100兆瓦的能源，從2026年開始為大約1300輛氫燃料卡車提供動力。在這個項目出臺之際，英國汽油和柴油價格正在飆升，導致對替代能源的需求增加。蘇格蘭電力公司希望獲得英國凈零氫氣基金的財政支持，這個項目可能耗資1.22億到1.83億美元。 

但現(xiàn)在，項目正在更多意想不到的地方涌現(xiàn)。由于新興大國正在努力實現(xiàn)他們在全球氫氣市場上的地位，非洲和拉丁美洲的國家今年都已先后宣布投資綠色氫氣。到2050年前，全球氫氣市場年投資預計將達到1萬億美元，人人都想從中分一杯羹。 

一個意想不到的正在發(fā)展綠色氫氣能力的地方，那就是巴西。巴西國家清潔能源研究所（INEL）近日宣布將成立一個新的綠色氫氣工業(yè)秘書處（SHV）。SHV的負責人Luiz Piauhylino Filho希望通過發(fā)展該國的綠色氫氣業(yè)務來支持巴西的低成本清潔能源部門。  

今年早些時候，巴西化學公司Unigel在巴西東北部的巴伊亞開始建設該國第一個綠色氫氣廠，耗資1.2億美元。建成后有望成為世界上最大的綠色氫氨一體化工廠。Unigel希望在2023年開始運營，實現(xiàn)每年1萬噸綠色氫氣和6萬噸綠色氨氣的產(chǎn)量。  

另一個想要打入可再生氫氣市場的南美洲大國是智利。智利已經(jīng)以綠色能源生產(chǎn)而聞名，因此非常適合綠色氫氣生產(chǎn)。智利政府已經(jīng)宣布到2025年前電解裝機能力達到5吉瓦的目標，并計劃在2030年底前生產(chǎn)出最具成本效益的綠色氫氣。由于歐洲和亞洲對綠色氫氣的需求開始增加，從而鼓勵幾個拉丁美洲國家開始發(fā)展氫氣產(chǎn)能，以期在該地區(qū)的競爭中領(lǐng)先。 

和拉丁美洲一樣，整個非洲地區(qū)對綠色氫氣工業(yè)的興趣也在上升。去年，納米比亞政府宣布了一個目標，利用疫情后經(jīng)濟復蘇計劃的投資，每年向歐洲出口300萬噸綠色氫氣。納米比亞希望以每公斤1.55至2.07美元的價格生產(chǎn)出世界上最便宜的綠色氫氣。  

然而，納米比亞的綠色氫氣產(chǎn)業(yè)仍處于初級階段，該國大部分人口的電力供應有限。但是，開發(fā)納米比亞風能和太陽能資源的巨大潛力，加上大片無人居住的國有土地，使該國對主要的可再生能源業(yè)務的發(fā)展具有極大的吸引力，其中可能包括綠色氫氣。

由于綠色能源業(yè)務在擁有現(xiàn)有產(chǎn)能的地區(qū)繼續(xù)擴張，我們看到更多新的發(fā)展出現(xiàn)在世界上意想不到的地方。隨著歐洲和亞洲對這種可再生能源的需求不斷擴大，一些拉丁美洲和非洲國家對發(fā)展綠色氫氣工業(yè)表現(xiàn)出濃厚的興趣。 

李峻 編譯自 美國油價網(wǎng)

原文如下：

Green Hydrogen Is Gaining Traction Across The Globe

·     Green hydrogen has been hailed as a potential replacement for natural gas as the world’s bridge fuel.

·     Green hydrogen is getting a major bump as governments across the world pump millions into new production capacity.

·     Countries across both Africa and Latin America have announced investments in green hydrogen this year, as emerging powers work to achieve their position in the global hydrogen market.

Green hydrogen operations are expanding even further as governments pump millions into the development of the sector. While the rise of green hydrogen production across Europe has been well documented, some European countries are investing even more heavily in the industry, as other projects are popping up in more unexpected regions, such as Latin America and Africa. With several governments and major energy companies backing green hydrogen development, it is likely to become a major renewable energy source worldwide. 

Green hydrogen has been hailed as a major new clean energy source with the potential to replace natural gas, as well as being used in hydrogen vehicles – in competition with electric car batteries. Although the cost of green hydrogen production is much higher than alternative renewable energies, experts expect greater investment in research and development, as well as the expansion of hydrogen plants, will make the technology much cheaper and more efficient over time, much in the same way as seen in the solar and wind power sectors. 

Green hydrogen is produced using renewable electricity to power an electrolyzer and than splits water into hydrogen and oxygen. The gas is then burned to produce power and emits only water vapor and warm air, making it carbon-free. This contrasts with grey hydrogen production, which is powered by natural gas. 

Europe and the Middle East have already significantly expanded their green hydrogen market positions following major investments in the industry. The two regions are battling for the top spot as global demand for the renewable energy source increases. In Europe, we’re seeing even more investment in the sector than initially expected, with Spain announcing a €50 million green hydrogen plant in Puertollano and the U.K. promoting a ￡150 million plant at the port of Felixstowe. 

This month, ScottishPower announced plans to construct a major green hydrogen facility in Felixstowe, in the south of England, to power trains, trucks and ships. The plant is expected to produce 100 MW of energy, to power approximately 1,300 hydrogen trucks starting in 2026. The project comes as petrol and diesel prices in the U.K. are soaring, leading to an increase in demand for alternatives. The company expects to receive financial support from the U.K.’s Net Zero Hydrogen Fund for the project, which could cost anywhere between $122 million and $183 million.

But now projects are cropping up in more unexpected places. Countries across both Africa and Latin America have announced investments in green hydrogen this year, as emerging powers work to achieve their position in the global hydrogen market. With the global hydrogen market expected to achieve $1 trillion a year by 2050, everyone wants a piece of the action.  

One unexpected place that is developing its green hydrogen capabilities is Brazil. This week, The National Institute of Clean Energies (INEL) in Brazil announced it was establishing a new green hydrogen secretariat(SHV). Head of the SHV Luiz Piauhylino Filho hopes to support Brazil’s low-cost, clean energy sector through the development of the country’s green hydrogen operations.  

Earlier this year, the Brazilian chemical company Unigel commenced construction of the country’s first green hydrogen plant in Bahia, in north-eastern Brazil, at a cost of $120 million. It is expected to be the world's largest integrated green hydrogen and ammonia plant upon completion. Unigel hopes to achieve an output of 10,000 tonnes a year of green hydrogen and 60,000 tonnes a year of green ammonia with operations starting in 2023. 

Another South American giant looking to break into the renewable hydrogen market is Chile. The country is already well-known for its green energy production, making it well-suited to green hydrogen production. The government has already announced a goal of 5 GW of installed electrolysis capacity by 2025 and aims to produce the most cost-efficient green hydrogen by the end of the decade. As demand for green hydrogen begins to increase in Europe and Asia, it is encouraging several Latin American countries to start developing their hydrogen capabilities to get ahead of the competition in the region as the industry grows. 

As well as Latin America, interest in the green hydrogen industry is also rising across the African region. Last year, the Namibian government announced an aim to export three million tonnes a year of green hydrogen to Europe with investment coming from its post-pandemic economic recovery scheme. Namibia is hoping to produce some of the world’s cheapest green hydrogen at $1.55 to $2.07 per kilogramme. 

However, Namibia’s green hydrogen industry is still in its nascent stage, with limited electricity access for much of the country’s population. But the significant potential to develop Namibia’s wind and solar resources, coupled with large areas of uninhabited, state-owned land, make the country highly attractive for the development of a major renewable energy sector, which will likely include green hydrogen. 

As green energy operations continue to expand across regions with existing production capabilities, we are seeing more new developments appear in unexpected parts of the world. Several Latin American and African countries have shown their interest in the development of their green hydrogen industries as demand for the renewable energy source continues to expand across Europe and Asia.