IPHE Steering Committee Meeting advances global green hydrogen collaboration

Delegates discuss initiatives, review progress, and explore collaborations towards clean energy transition.

The 41st Steering Committee Meeting of the International Partnership for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells in the Economy (IPHE), hosted by India in New Delhi from March 18 to 22, 2024, commenced its formal proceedings recently. The second and third days, March 19 and 20, 2024, have been designated for the formal proceedings of the 41st Steering Committee Meeting, taking place at Sushma Swaraj Bhawan, New Delhi.

During the opening remarks on the first day, Dr. Noe Van Hulst, Vice Chair of IPHE, commended India’s National Green Hydrogen Mission and acknowledged the warm hospitality extended by India to IPHE delegates. Ajay Yadav, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, emphasised the importance of utilising Green Hydrogen to decarbonise the economy and stressed the necessity for collaborative actions in this regard during his welcome address.

Delegates from various countries, including Austria, Chile, France, the European Commission, Japan, Germany, the Netherlands, the UAE, the UK, the US, Singapore, South Korea, and host country India, participated in the Steering Committee meeting. They discussed a wide range of issues concerning the deployment of Green Hydrogen and its derivatives. The committee explored international initiatives such as the Glasgow Breakthrough Agenda, Hydrogen Energy Ministerial, Clean Energy Ministerial, H2 Initiative, Clean Hydrogen Mission Innovation, G7 Hydrogen Action Pact, G20, COP28, and the International Energy Agency, and discussed opportunities to collaborate with these initiatives to achieve IPHE goals.

The Committee reviewed the progress of various working groups (WGs) and task forces (TFs) and provided suggestions for strengthening their work. The IPHE has WGs on “Regulations, Codes, Standards & Safety (RCSS)” and “Education & Outreach”, along with TFs focusing on “Hydrogen Skills”, “Hydrogen Production Analysis”, “Hydrogen Certification Mechanisms”, and “Hydrogen Trade Rules”. The committee also emphasised the role of the WTO framework in facilitating international trade in Hydrogen.

Additionally, the committee reviewed the IPHE vision and roadmap of work in the short and medium term. The proceedings of the committee will continue on the next day, March 20, 2024.

The first day of the five-day Steering Committee Meeting featured IPHE Academic Outreach at IIT Delhi, where conference delegates provided valuable insights into the future of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies.