Study highlights Canada as potential hydrogen hotspot

Published in Nature Communications, the study explored the costs and environmental impacts of possible large-scale hydrogen economies. Using four possible hydrogen demand scenarios for 2050 ranging from 111–614 megatonnes per year, the PSI team analysed which regions of the world could produce hydrogen most cost-effectively, taking into account renewable energy resources and access to water for electrolysis. It found that large parts of Canada could be some of the best regions for future hydrogen production. 

 “There are lots of open spaces which are very windy and therefore ideal for putting up wind turbines,” said principal author Tom Terlouw, a PhD student at PSI and ETH Zurich. 

“On top of this, there’s plenty of water around and the political situation is stable – although we didn’t consider these two criteria in great detail in our study. But of course, the availability of water for electrolysis also plays a role, as does the question of whether the country concerned is one from which hydrogen can be reliably imported.”