The visit of German Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck to the UAE on March 21 marked the start of a new partnership between two emerging heavyweights in the business of hydrogen. But more important, it underscored the role that this “future fuel” could play in curbing climate change and freeing countries from current geopolitical bottlenecks.
Hydrogen offers three key attractions over traditional fossil fuels: It is versatile; it burns clean, is non-toxic and emits zero carbon dioxide; and it has diverse potential sources. It can replace natural gas in power, industry and chemical manufacture, and oil in long-distance transport. As Russia’s war on Ukraine drags on, and European and Asian natural-gas prices reach record highs, hydrogen gains in attractiveness.
The widespread use of hydrogen is at a very early stage, so projections of its potential vary widely. But…