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Hydrogen

Latest

An illustration of a man wearing overalls standing in overalls staring down at some kind of measurement device, with — Hydrogen is everywhere
Natural hydrogen is abundant under the Earth's surface and could end up being an important fuel of the future. Voices
David E. Tew 3 min read

An illustration of an open notebook with the words — In a faraway region, winds and nature are powerful forces to balance
Reporter Bill Spindle reflects on his visit to the Haru Oni sustainable fuels project in southern Chile. With dozens of similar projects planned for the region, preserving the region's ecosystems will require careful balance. Reporter's Notebook
Bill Spindle 3 min read

An illustration of a tank of hydrogen, with hydrogen written on the tank in Spanish. The tank is an orange-y yellow. Behind it, there are wind turbines in the same yellow color and the background is an aqua blue. — Clean hydrogen’s tricky path to production
A unique demonstration project in Chile is using clean hydrogen to make sustainable fuels. Latest News
Bill Spindle & Patricia Garip 5 min read

An illustration of an oil drilling machine ( — These types of climate technologies could receive a bump under Trump
Clean energy technologies long considered compatible with oil and natural gas are likely to have a leading edge in the U.S. The shifting landscape has been evident in Houston this week at an annual energy confab. Latest News
Amena H. Saiyid & Bill Spindle 5 min read

Eleventh-hour hydrogen rule to face uncertainty in Trump administration

The Biden administration released its long-awaited final guidance for clean hydrogen tax credits. The rules are crucial for the nascent sector to move forward — and face uncertainty under the incoming Trump administration. Latest News

Amena H. Saiyid 4 min read

An illustration of a hydrogen plant powered by wind turbines on an island of green foliage floating on a blue backdrop.

Rounding up the best of Cipher in 2024

This was a big year for the energy transition and a busy year for Cipher. We’ve rounded up some of our favorite articles from 2024 and offer them to you here for easy reading. Latest News

Cipher Staff 4 min read

A collage of many illustrations with a thin blue overlay and

Cipher analysis: Emerging clean technologies see sharp drop in investments this year

Spending announced for several key emerging clean technologies in the United States fell this year, as market forces, lack of infrastructure and political and regulatory uncertainty disrupted the momentum built up in recent years. Latest News

Amena H. Saiyid 4 min read

An illustration of three large storage containers lined up in a row, one with

Analysis: A reporter hears echoes of the past in Japan’s net zero strategy

In the 1990s, Bill Spindle covered Japan's economic collapse. Returning again this year to report on Japan's energy transition, he picked up on some familiar narratives. Reporter's Notebook

Bill Spindle 3 min read

An illustration that shows Mt. Fuji in Japan twice, once in a photo that looks old and once in a photo that looks more recent, with solar panels in the foreground. There's also a large red circle behind the photos and the background is white, invoking the Japanese flag.

Japan’s plan for net zero increasingly rests on a big hydrogen bet

Japanese executives and officials hope to keep fossil fuel power generators going and gradually replace the coal and gas with low-carbon ammonia, hydrogen and biomass. Betting big on the future hydrogen is risky, however. Latest News

Bill Spindle 5 min read

A giant hand holds up a hydrogen tank in front of the Japanese flag, a power plant and wind turbines.

Why cleantech is booming in GOP-led states

Whether it’s storing carbon dioxide, making wind turbines, installing solar panels or producing electric vehicles, Republican-leaning states are outpacing their Democratic counterparts in drawing coveted investment dollars. Explainers

Amena H. Saiyid 4 min read

An illustration of the United States, with some of the states highlighted in red. Around the map there are green icons of wind turbines, solar power, nuclear energy, biofuels and batteries.

In China, packed ballrooms, big ambition and parties for hydrogen

Hydrogen executives and researchers talked about conquering technological bottlenecks and slashing costs at a recent trade show. Reporter's Notebook

Xiaoying You 2 min read

An illustration of a notebook with

Chinese companies’ European hydrogen gambit

Several top manufacturers have flocked to Spain to open renewable hydrogen factories. Latest News

Xiaoying You 5 min read

A miniature, tabletop model of a large renewable energy plant and factory is on display at a conference. The model includes light up red and green lights and looks convincingly life-like.

Renewable hydrogen can unlock green steel promise

Clean hydrogen is a potential game-changer for the steel industry. To realize all the benefits of sustainable steelmaking, the government needs to commit to hydrogen made from renewable energy. Voices

Hilary Lewis 3 min read

Illustration of a person with a hydrogen molecule for a head holding up a giant key and holding it up to a key hole in a bar of steel.

In Australia, renewable hydrogen dreams are meeting reality

Some of the initial high hopes for hydrogen as a clean energy source are falling back to earth in Australia. Latest News

Bill Spindle 4 min read

An illustration with a blue background, a map of Australia colored in with the country's flag, a tank of hydrogen with

We have questions about electrolyzers, the machines making clean hydrogen… These executives have answers

Cipher sat down with executives from a handful of companies making electrolyzers, the machines that make clean hydrogen using renewable energy, to get the lay of the land. Q&A

Amena H. Saiyid 4 min read

Demand is growing for hydrogen-making electrolyzers. What exactly are they?

As demand grows for electrolyzers, Cipher explains what these machines are and why they are so critical to meeting U.S. goals for clean hydrogen as a viable alternative to emissions-intensive fossil fuels. Explainers

Amena H. Saiyid 6 min read

An illustration with a blue background showing a contraption in green in the foreground that has an electronic-looking device on the left and a bottle on the right, the two are connected by a thin tube and there's

Industrial emissions poised to become largest U.S. carbon source 

The industrial sector is slated to become the largest source of carbon emissions in the United States over the next decade, according to new data from the Rhodium Group shared exclusively with Cipher.  Data Dives

Amena H. Saiyid 2 min read

Industrial emissions are poised to become the largest source of U.S. emissions in the next decade, even surpassing the transportation sector, according to Rhodium Group's new findings, shared exclusively with Cipher.

U.S. could surpass China as clean hydrogen leader

Armed with a robust pipeline of projects, the United States could surpass China as the world's top clean hydrogen producer as early as next year, according to recent projections shared exclusively with Cipher. Data Dives

Amena H. Saiyid 2 min read

An illustration of a bar chart imposed over a hydrogen fuel station

Africa’s clean hydrogen path must begin with clearing the hype

African countries have a lot to gain, and a lot to lose, from investing heavily in the nascent clean hydrogen industry. Voices

Meron Tesfaye 3 min read

The African continent in green with

U.S. energy loan chief on hydrogen, peak power demand, pipelines and his coffee mug

Cipher sits down with Jigar Shah, director of the Loan Programs Office in the U.S. Energy Department for a Q&A about the energy transition landscape. Q&A

Cat Clifford 4 min read

Jigar Shah, director of the Loan Programs Office, speaking at CERA Week in March. Against a purple background

CO2 emissions from producing hydrogen vary wildly

Relying on even a relatively small share of grid electricity to make hydrogen with an electrolyzer can have significant carbon costs if the grid itself is dirty. Data Dives

Cat Clifford 2 min read

Green and blue bar charts side by side.

Climate, AI and energy security drive CERAWeek confab

One of the world’s largest energy conferences, CERAWeek, is underway this week in Texas. It's the first major gathering of the energy industry since COP28. Latest News

Amena H. Saiyid 3 min read

An illustration of a group of people milling about in front of a sign that says

A treasure hunt for underground hydrogen is on

Producing hydrogen with current technologies takes a lot of energy and is carbon intensive. Geologic hydrogen could sidestep both obstacles, which could ultimately reduce costs. Explainers

Cat Clifford 7 min read

Your definitive guide to understanding hydrogen

What is hydrogen and why is everybody talking about it now? Consider this your hydrogen cheat sheet. Explainers

Cat Clifford 4 min read

Illustration. A hand holds a hydrogen production plant surrounded by questionmarks drawn in marker on a peach background.

Everything is bigger in Texas, including the hydrogen

Texas and neighboring Louisiana have attracted some of the biggest clean hydrogen projects in the country, according to Cipher's new Cleantech Tracker. Latest News

Amena H. Saiyid 4 min read

An illustration in black and white with an outline of the state of Texas and two hydrogen molecules, as well as a construction crane and hydrogen storage facilities in the background.

Why cleantech groups want the EU’s public lending arm to prop them up

They want the European Investment Bank to offer them a safety net through so-called public guarantees, which they argue would allow for a faster scale-up of emerging technologies. Explainers

Anca Gurzu 4 min read

In U.S., clean hydrogen draws more dollars than managing carbon

Clean hydrogen production is attracting more investment than any other emerging technology, Cipher's new Cleantech Tracker shows. Data Dives

Amena H. Saiyid < 1

Stacked bar chart showing cleantech investment in emerging technologies between 2018 and third quarter of 2023.

Biden administration proposes tight clean power limits for making hydrogen

Biden administration proposes strict criteria for claiming production tax credits for producers using grid power to make hydrogen. Latest News

Amena H. Saiyid 3 min read

Image of John Podesta

Massive scale-up of hydrogen needed for net-zero goals

Most of the hydrogen would need to come from renewable electricity to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees. Data Dives

Anca Gurzu < 1

a simplified chart showing growth needed in renewable hydroge production

Europe to find out true price of renewable hydrogen

A first-of-its-kind pilot auction, meant to ensure there will be users ready to buy renewable hydrogen, kicks off in Europe at the end of November. Latest News

Anca Gurzu 4 min read

Multicolored

How to build demand for clean hydrogen

Almost no clean hydrogen exists in the U.S. today, and barely any demand either. To fill these gaps, a debate is brewing about how exactly to use the odorless and abundant molecule in the most effective and efficient ways. Explainers

Amena H. Saiyid 4 min read

White pipes with a red release valve with 'Hydrogen H2' written on the side of a pipe.

India’s steel industry faces a long path to net zero

Green steel is in India’s future. But decarbonizing one of the most stubborn sectors of the economy will take decades, according to a new report. Data Dives

Bill Spindle 2 min read

India’s steel industry is expected to slowly decarbonize.

Clean hydrogen struggles to take off

Clean hydrogen generates a lot of enthusiasm but fewer commitments. Data Dives

Bill Spindle 2 min read

As tax debate rages, massive scale needed for clean hydrogen

The United States will need to turbocharge clean hydrogen production if it hopes to meet the Biden administration’s ambitious targets, according to a recent study by two think tanks. Data Dives

Amena H. Saiyid 2 min read

Japan, an economic leader in Asia, lags on renewable energy

Japan, the only Asian member of the elite Group of Seven countries (G7), is lagging in its efforts to decarbonize the world’s third-largest economy, according to climate advocates and scientists. Latest News

Bill Spindle 5 min read

Global hydrogen trade may be just a pipe dream

As interest in hydrogen as a clean energy source increases, a flurry of proposed projects to either import or export hydrogen (or its derivatives) is emerging across the world. Voices

Anne-Sophie Corbeau 3 min read

How to understand the U.S. battle over hydrogen tax credits

A battle as complex as it is significant is brewing in the global race to secure government subsidies to scale up an American clean hydrogen economy. Explainers

Amena H. Saiyid 5 min read

Nuclear support grows amid push for clean hydrogen

The United States’ first hydrogen plant fueled by nuclear energy has just powered up in New York. The moment reflects two trends converging in the past few years. Latest News

Amena H. Saiyid 3 min read

Massive cleantech deployment needed to reach net zero

Countries need to “dramatically” increase the scale and speed of clean energy technology deployment for a chance to reach net-zero emissions by mid-century, the International Energy Agency (IEA) found in a new report. Data Dives

Anca Gurzu 2 min read

Graph of global deployment of clean energy techonologies

Why the hydrogen rainbow doesn’t tell the whole story

There’s one energy source the world is increasingly betting on in the race to decarbonize the economy: hydrogen. Explainers

Anca Gurzu 3 min read

Electricity-powered hydrogen to dominate by 2050: report

Hydrogen produced from electricity will be the dominant form of production by mid-century, according to a forecast released this week by Oslo-based consulting group DNV. Data Dives

Anca Gurzu < 1

How EU aims to use clean hydrogen

The European Commission’s plan to help the 27-member bloc end its reliance on Russian fossil fuel imports includes a quick scale-up of renewable hydrogen production and use over the next several years. Data Dives

Anca Gurzu < 1

Australia, U.K. and U.S. lead in low-carbon hydrogen projects

Global investments in low-carbon hydrogen supply are ramping up, with the bulk of new projects focusing on renewable hydrogen production. Data Dives

Anca Gurzu < 1

Fight brews in Europe over how to supply renewable hydrogen

Tucked between two fjords, the Norwegian peninsula of Herøya recently became home to the world’s first fully automated facility that builds electrolyzers. Latest News

Anca Gurzu 3 min read

Africa, Middle East set to lead green hydrogen race

Africa, the Americas, the Middle East and Oceania are the regions with the highest technical potential to produce green hydrogen, while Europe is likely to become a key import market. Data Dives

Anca Gurzu < 1

Geopolitics lurk in EU’s bet on green hydrogen in energy transition

The European Union is working hard to rid itself of Russian natural gas, and in the process the 27-member bloc is betting on a different gas as a clean alternative: green hydrogen. Latest News

Anca Gurzu 4 min read

Venture capital pouring into hydrogen

Investments into a range of different hydrogen-related technologies are increasing around the world, the International Energy Agency said in a recent report on the topic. Data Dives

Amy Harder < 1

Demand for clean energy is growing, so it better be there

Tadeu Carneiro, a 40-year veteran of the metals and mining industry, has bet his career on making steel from zero-emission electricity. Harder Line

Amy Harder 3 min read