Green Hydrogen in East Asian Countries
https://doi.org/10.48137/2687-0703_2021_15_3_98
Abstract
Japan and the Republic of Korea have almost no domestic energy resources and are more than 90 % dependent on supplies from abroad. China is able to meet its coal needs, but also has to import oil and natural gas in ever-increasing volumes. It is clear why in the XXI century the states under consideration are experiencing a boom in the development of renewable energy as an environmentally friendly alternative to fossil fuels.
Classical renewable energy sources (wind, solar and hydro generation) are an important step towards achieving energy independence, but their widespread use is difficult for technological and climatic reasons.
In this situation, hydrogen comes to the fore as an energy source of the future, which can significantly expand the potential for applying alternative types of energy. Nevertheless, it is obvious that only green hydrogen obtained by electrolysis using renewable energy power plants can be considered sufficiently environmentally friendly and contribute to solving the problem of low-carbon economy transition.
Given the size of the economies of East Asian countries and the planned scale of consumption, it becomes obvious that domestic production of green hydrogen will not be enough and the increase of import will be necessary. This entails the creation of an international export-import regime, starting from bilateral agreements, since hydrogen is extremely explosive and clearly requires special conditions for transportation, storage and use for energy needs. Therefore, it is of great research interest to study the steps and measures taken by Japan, China and the Republic of Korea to organize such an international regime.
Supporting agencies: This research paper was done as a part of RFBR research project no 20-01400024 “The development of methodological approach and scientific tools for a study on the impact of hydrogen technologies on international energy cooperation in Northeast Asia”.
About the Author
K. A. Korneev
Institute of Far Eastern Studies of the RAS
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Konstantin A. Korneev, Candidate of Historical Sciences, Senior Researcher at Centre for Japanese Studies Institute of Far Eastern Studies of the RAS; Associate Professor of Plekhanov Russian University of Economics.
32, Nakhimovsky Ave., Moscow, 117997, Russian Federation
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Review
For citations:
Korneev K.A. Green Hydrogen in East Asian Countries. Geoeconomics of Energetics. 2021;(3):98-115. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.48137/2687-0703_2021_15_3_98
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