Trinidad and Tobago targets 4 Mtpa green hydrogen by 2065
The third, full development programme involves 57GW of offshore wind producing 25GW of power that feeds electrolysers, which in turn produces 4 Mtpa of green hydrogen
Trinidad and Tobago can leverage on its petrochemicals, natural gas and offshore wind to develop a green hydrogen economy and produce as much as 4 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) by 2065, according to a new Inter-American Development Bank and National Energy Corporation report.
As leading exporters of ammonia and methanol, the dual-island Caribbean nation believes it has a head start over many countries which would need to build infrastructure from scratch.
Presenting three horizons under a green hydrogen roadmap, the first period (2022-2028) would place emphasis on planning, building policies and a regulatory framework, and testing demonstration projects.
The second would initiate utility scale renewable energy and green hydrogen production, with 25GW of offshore wind providing 10.5GW output to feed electrolysers, creating 1.5 Mtpa of green hydrogen.
The third, full development programme involves 57GW of offshore wind producing 25GW of power that feeds electrolysers, which in turn produces 4 Mtpa of green hydrogen, of which 1.5 Mtpa will go to existing ammonia and methanol markets, and the remainder to applications that target new markets.
The year 2052 is billed as “a key milestone”, when all the grey hydrogen currently used by the petrochemical industry (1.7 Mtpa) could potentially be displaced by green hydrogen.
The immediate next steps focus on the definition of the potential demonstration projects as well as funding sources, the report concludes.
“The demonstration projects may include renewable energy generation and green hydrogen production, with end-use of the green hydrogen tested in the petrochemical industry with the production of green ammonia and green methanol, transportation sector through public transport and cement manufacturing.”
The positive report – which in one passage, makes a transformational comparison with island nation Singapore – largely skirts over specific challenges developing a green hydrogen economy, presenting few details beyond the three horizons and end use applications, and a loose commitment that funding sources, such as climate finance, carbon markets, private sector and national finance, ‘will be explored’.
Around half of Trinidad and Tobago’s emissions come from its chemical industry, which produces and consumes large volumes of hydrogen “from unabated fossil fuels”, notes the IEA, and how quickly and effectively it can reduce emissions, amid increasing decarbonisation scrutiny, remains to be seen.
“The long-term deployment of low-carbon hydrogen production and applications is a complex challenge … this can only be achieved with the long-term engagement of all relevant stakeholders, including governments, industry, research and innovation agencies, financial services, trade unions and civil society,” IEA said.
