Vietnam dives into the green hydrogen fuel deep end

Vietnam dives into the green hydrogen fuel deep end

July 9, 2024 0 By Tami Hood

The Asian country has committed to building an H2 economy and is going all-in

Earlier this year, The United States and Vietnam launched a new collaboration focused on green hydrogen fuel.

The collab involved a focus on an H2 economy

The agreement could be the start of one of the most ambitious international collaborations focused on green hydrogen fuel.  It launched in April 2024 when the United States Agency for International Development signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Standard Chartered Bank of Vietnam for the support of the Asian country’s decarbonization using a renewable energy model focused on H2. 

The collaboration used as a foundation the visit made by President Joe Biden to Hanoi last September.  The MoU is meant to help facilitate investments from the private sector and to support Vietnam’s pursuit of its 2050 net-zero emission goals. 

The green hydrogen fuel collaboration will also boost relations between the countries

Washington and Hanoi are aiming to use this opportunity to work together as a chance to enhance the relations between the two countries.  This is seen as important to the geopolitical concerns for both countries, particularly as Vietnam is geographically adjacent to China.

Green Hydrogen Power Strategy - Vietnam Flag

Vietnam adopted a new H2 power strategy in February and since then has been pushing ambitiously forward to develop its H2 economy. 

Its goal is to produce as much as 500,000 tons of H2 per year by 2030, and to reach between 10 million and 20 million tons of H2 per year by 2050.

Should it reach its goal, this would mean that the country’s production of green hydrogen fuel would be enough to meet the United Kingdom’s current annual electrical consumption needs. 

Standing out in H2 production

hydrogen news ebookIt is the green hydrogen fuel focus that truly stands out in Vietnam’s strategy for moving ahead with H2.  The world’s most common form of H2 production, by a large margin, is through natural gas reforming.  This uses natural gas – a fossil fuel – for the production of H2 using high-temperature steam.  It emits carbon dioxide which typically goes unabated.  While it is considered cleaner than the use of other fossil fuels such as gasoline or diesel, it is far from being carbon-free.

Vietnam wants to produce green hydrogen fuel using electrolysis powered by renewable energy such as tidal energy as well as solar and wind.

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