On June 14, IEA (International Energy Agency) of international advisory board disclosed for the first time its hydrogen report created as requested by the government of Japan for the G20 Ministerial Meeting on Energy Transitions and Global Environment.

A launch event of the report was held under cooperation of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), IEA and Hydrogen Council. Fatih Birol of IEA executive director introduced the contents of the report, and Hiroshige Seko, Minister of METI, expressed Japan’s expectations for he report and explained the efforts tackled by the Japanese government for realizing a hydrogen-powered society at a global level. Benoit Potier, Chairman of Hydrogen Council expressed as a representative of industrial players, his expectations for the report and made a presentation on the efforts made by the private sector.

IEA’s Hydrogen Report is summarized as below which quantitatively analyzes the current situation of hydrogen and sums up its future prospect and suggestions.

Future visions of hydrogen:
1 Solution to various issues on energy
2 Possibility to produce hydrogen from any energy source which is applicable to various purposes by transportation in gas form, such as electricity, chemical materials and fuels for transportation
3 Storing of renewable energies for a long time and possible transportation of a long distance

Challenges that the global society needs to overcome:
１ High production cost from a low-carbon energy
2 The slow development of infra-structure is disturbing diffusion
３ Mostly being produced from the fossil fuels which causes much emission of CO2
4 Regulations are controlling the development of clean hydrogen industry

For the strategic planning, it is now suggested to:

１ Formulate an ambitious and concrete strategy on a long-term basis to clarify expectations and aims for the future.
２Boost the commercial demand for clean hydrogen aiming to reduce the production cost of hydrogen.
３ Introduce a system to lessen risks to increase new investments for hydrogen.　
４ Support R&D to promote a technical development for cost reduction.
５ Take actions to remove unnecessary restrictions and harmonize the standards in order to eliminate barriers for investment.
６ Conduct reviewing of progress periodically to achieve a long-term target.
７ To maintain and expand the current momentum looking at the forthcoming ten years, make efforts to deal collectively with the following four areas to enhance:

① Utilization of hydrogen in the industrial field
② Use of hydrogen in the existing gas infrastructures
③ Use for trucks, buses and other vehicles
④ Establishment of a transport route for international trades of hydrogen.　

The significance, subject and solution to pursue the development of hydrogen energy are completely on the track of the “Basic Strategy for Hydrogen” which was already set out by the government of Japan. As these suggestions have been associated into the proposal of IEA in which the OECD member countries participate, it is expected that investments will be activated globally for the development of hydrogen energy.

Benoit Potier, chairman of the Hydrogen Council commented in the Hydrogen Report Launch Event, “This report has been publicized in the very timing that we are just about to head for the next step of a hydrogen society.
We are just coming near the crossroad of fossil fuel and renewable energies, and wish to fasten our footsteps toward the realization of a hydrogen society. To this end it is inevitable to have the strategic support of all countries to realize such a society. This G20 has made the most suitable place for that purpose.”
He also told that the Hydrogen Council intends to announce toward the end of this year a new report which will draw a roadmap for the future, saying, “All the necessary elements have been prepared. All we have to do is proceed to a mass production, expand the scale and reduce the price.”