CEM Hydrogen Initiative

The Clean Energy Ministerial Hydrogen Initiative (CEM H2I) has currently the following participating governments: Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Costa Rica, European Commission, Finland, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, United Kingdom and United States.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) was selected to co‑ordinate this initiative. If you are interested in getting more information about CEM H2I, you can reach the coordinators:

• Jose M Bermudez, josemiguel.bermudezmenendez@iea.org
• Per Anders Widell, peranders.widell@iea.org
• Sarbojit Pal, Sarbojit.pal@cemsecretariat.org

In addition, the CEM H2I counts with the participation of several partners in different activities of the Initiative: Hydrogen Council, International Partnership for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells in the Economy (IPHE), IEA’s Advanced Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Technology Collaboration Programmes, Mission Innovation, World Economic Forum, Air Products, Ballard, Enel, Engie, Nel Hydrogen, Port of Rotterdam and ThyssenKrupp.

The CEM H2I was launched in CEM10 (May 2019, Vancouver). It is a voluntary multi-government initiative, developed according to the CEM framework document, which aims to advance policies, programs and projects that accelerate the commercialization and deployment of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies across all aspects of the economy. It operates under the auspices of the Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM), involving non-binding arrangements among participating national government ministries.

CEM H2I will drive international collaboration on policies, programs and projects to accelerate the commercial deployment of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies across all sectors of the economy.

Drawing on the recommendations from the Hydrogen Energy Ministerial Meeting in 2018 in Japan, this cross-country collaboration will build on the successes of other global collaborations on hydrogen such as the Hydrogen Challenge under Mission Innovation, the ongoing work through the International Partnership for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells in the economy and global analysis carried out through the IEA.

It will aim to address barriers and identify opportunities for hydrogen in the global transformation to a clean, affordable and reliable energy sector looking at the global supply chains of this new energy vector.

The initiative will focus on how hydrogen can contribute to cleaner energy systems, while promoting sustainability, resiliency and energy security. Initial work carried out through the initiative will focus on three different areas:

1. Helping to ensure successful deployment of hydrogen within current industrial applications.
2. Enabling deployment of hydrogen technologies in transport (e.g. freight, mass transit, light-rail, marine).
3. Exploring the role of hydrogen in meeting the energy needs of communities.

The CEM H2I members have approved an ambitious work programme for the period 2021-2022. The plan includes the following activities:

1. Working group - Global aspirational goals for hydrogen
2. Working group - Global Ports Coalition
3. Working group - Roundtable on the North-West European region
4. Working group - Large-scale hydrogen supply chain
5. Working group - H2 Twin Cities Initiative
6. Activity - Hydrogen Certification
7. Strategic Project - Hydrogen in Marine