NEW YORK – Hydrogen use by the G-7 could jump by four to seven times by the middle of this century compared to 2020 in order to “satisfy the needs of a net-zero emissions system,” according to a new report from the International Renewable Energy Agency.

In a foreword to the report, IRENA Director-General Francesco La Camera said it had “become clear that hydrogen must play a key role in the energy transition if the world is to meet the 1.5 °C target of the Paris Agreement.”

Despite this assertion, IRENA’s analysis — which was published on Wednesday, during the COP27 climate change summit in Egypt — paints a complex overall picture that will require a delicate balancing act going forward.

Among other things, it noted that “despite hydrogen’s great potential, it must be kept in mind that its production, transport and conversion require energy, as well as significant investment.”

“Indiscriminate use of hydrogen could therefore slow down the energy transition,” it added. “This calls for priority setting in policy making.”

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