Gov’t eyes inclusion of ‘green’ hydrogen in PH energy mix

Amid an international push to promote “green” hydrogen as a cost-competitive energy resource in lieu of fossil fuels, the Department of Energy (DOE) is tapping Australia-based research and development firm Star Scientific Ltd. to look into the potential of this chemical element in the Philippines’ portfolio.

Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said Manila, with support from Canberra, signed with Star Scientific a memorandum of understanding for the conduct of the project.

“I have often said that there could be a lot of potential for hydrogen for the local industry given that it is seen as the fuel of the future,” Cusi said in a statement.

Currently, green hydrogen —hydrogen that is produced with renewable energy-based electricity—is two to three times more expensive than “blue” hydrogen, which is produced with fossil-fuel-based power.

“We are hoping to be able to utilize hydrogen as fuel for electric vehicles and as part of the country’s future energy mix,” he said, adding that another particular focus was hydrogen’s potential role in power generation in the Philippines.

Star Scientific is known for its breakthrough technology dubbed Hydrogen Energy Release Optimizer (Hero), which converts hydrogen into heat without combustion.

The memorandum states that the DOE and Star “will investigate hydrogen production in the Philippines in an effort to make the country energy independent so as to significantly reduce the country’s (carbon dioxide) emissions.”