Energy Central-News Article

The global interest in promoting the energy transition for environmental and energy independence reasons and the central role of Argentina for the development of clean energies were highlighted today by ambassadors participating in the Global Green Hydrogen Forum, which is being held in Bariloche. The diplomats analyzed these aspects in the panel "International trade of green hydrogen: where it will be produced and where it will be used", which was moderated by the Secretary of Planning and Sustainable Development of Río Negro, Daniel Sanguinetti. In that framework, the UK ambassador to Argentina, Christine Hayes, said that green hydrogen "will be crucial to support the UK's energy independence" and to "help British industries to move away from costly hydrocarbons, gas and oil." [caption id="attachment_1155996" align="alignnone" width="1200"]

Global Green Hydrogen Forum[/caption] "The world needs to quickly find new sources of energy that are immediately available, competitive and good for the planet," he added. The Netherlands ambassador to Argentina, Annemieke Verrijp, referred to "the urgency of the energy transition", which "is reinforced by the complex international situation and the need for independence in energy supply in the wake of the war in Ukraine". Verrijp said that "by 2050 the demand for green hydrogen is expected to amount to 20 million tons, of which Europe will only be able to produce 50%, having to import 50%" and that "Latin America and the Caribbean will be a hotspot for the production, use and export of hydrogen from renewable sources." [caption id="attachment_1155998" align="alignnone" width="1140"]

Global Green Hydrogen Forum[/caption] "Argentina has a huge potential to play a leading role in the region; the country has all the conditions to become a global player; to realize this potential requires the approval and implementation of appropriate policies and determine the roadmap, strategy and an infrastructure plan," he said. In turn, the Australian Ambassador to Argentina, Simon Edward Twisk, pointed out that "there are more than 30 projects underway in Australia promoted by the Government" and remarked that the progress of these investments requires "a regulatory reform that must be intelligent, remove barriers and provide certainty to investors". Meanwhile, the Israeli ambassador in Argentina, Eyal Sela, said: "When the whole idea of green hydrogen began, Israel also began to see how we can help this phenomenon, what we can help is that we are a country that puts between 4 and 5% of gross domestic product in research and development". [caption id="attachment_1155999" align="alignnone" width="2048"]

Global Green Hydrogen Forum[/caption] The diplomat highlighted that "in the south of Argentina there is a lot of wind, Argentina has salt flats, in Argentina there is sun" and that in order to boost this potential "it is important that scientists, institutions and companies are in contact". "Germany will need large amounts of hydrogen in the coming years, until 2030 we will need at least 1.5 million tons of green hydrogen and it is clear that we can not produce all that, we will have to import 60-70% of that amount," he said. In this sense, Neven considered that "Argentina has to be part of the new global energy trade system, the conditions are among the best in the world". [caption id="attachment_1156000" align="alignnone" width="2048"]

Global Green Hydrogen Forum[/caption] In addition, he assured that "German companies in Argentina are eager to start with a green hydrogen pilot project, a reliable and long-term legal framework is required, which is always required for investments of this size". "It is very important that Argentina formulates a hydrogen law and strategy as quickly as possible," he remarked. Finally, the South Korean ambassador to Argentina, Yongsoo Lee, assured that "Korea's new policies aim to scale up the hydrogen ecosystem, build infrastructure and institutional frameworks, and boost hydrogen technology." "I hope that bilateral cooperation between Korea and Argentina will be significant to develop Argentina's potential in green hydrogen," he concluded. (Télam)