The growth of renewable power generation - including wind, hydro and solar - in the global electricity mix in 2024 beat the previous year's 30% record

Asia more than doubled its installed solar capacity, with 327 GW added in 2024, including 85% (278 GW) in China and 10% (24.5 GW) in India; in addition, over 38 GW of solar capacity was installed in the United States, while Brazil and Germany each added over 15 GW.

To compete globally, US must expand energy production and reduce energy costs for American families and businesses.

An integrated approach to drive sustainable development goals opens new pathways in green hydrogen applications in industries, utilities and transport sector.

As part of the H2Hubs program, DOE is committing up to $1.2 billion of federal cost share for the Gulf Coast Hydrogen Hub—led by HyVelocity (HyV) and up to $1 billion of federal cost share for the Midwest Hydrogen Hub—led by the Midwest Alliance for Clean Hydrogen LLC (MachH2).

Ammonia, which consists of nitrogen and hydrogen, boasts a high energy density, making it a practical medium for hydrogen storage and transport.

The independent DEFRs do not require the availability of surplus renewable electricity. In fact, the independent DEFRs would not require the existence of intermittent renewable generation to support a reliable grid. They effectively render the renewable generators redundant; and, redundancy is expensive.

Green hydrogen, generated through water electrolysis powered by renewable energy, holds promise for nearly zero emissions. However, as interest grows in low-carbon hydrogen, the industry is moving beyond simplistic colour categorizations.

Hydrogen's low volumetric energy density poses a significant challenge. Traditional storage methods, such as high-pressure tanks, require robust and often heavy containers, which limit their practicality. Advanced solutions like cryogenic storage and novel materials are being explored to mitigate this issue.

Hydrogen, often touted as the "fuel of the future," has immense potential to decarbonize key sectors such as transportation, manufacturing, and energy storage.

AI and ML are pivotal in aiding the development of materials tailored for hydrogen use. These advanced technologies facilitate the rapid assessment and enhancement of both structural and functional materials, which are crucial for the efficiency and sustainability of hydrogen production, transport, and storage processes.

What are the latest trends in the power and utilities sector?

Thermal power, which accounts for the bulk of China’s carbon footprint, fell 4.3% in May from the previous year, the biggest drop since 2022, the statistics bureau reported on Monday.

The study will be developed as one of the deliverables under the Joint Declaration of Intent (JDoI) of the UK-Germany Hydrogen Partnership, signed on September 26, 2023, between the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK).

The hydrogen market is now transitioning from a speculative investment area to a sector with tangible commercial applications and real-world implementations.