To put the outcomes in a nutshell: COP27 marks a massive push for Power-to-X. 

This year’s host Egypt set PtX high on the agenda. Right at the beginning of the conference and within the World Leaders Summit, the country dedicated a high-level roundtable to the future of green hydrogen. World leaders reaffirmed their willingness to work together for ramping up the global green hydrogen economy. 

“We are serious about green hydrogen. And we are willing to work with all of you to pool our strengths and needs when it comes to its industrial use. […] Climate neutrality is not just a goal of some but of all of us. Green hydrogen is essential to reach it.” - German Chancellor Olaf Scholz

On the road to COP28, we should not lose sight of the bigger picture: Currently hydrogen is almost entirely produced by fossil fuels and production capacities are low. Without proper standards and certification schemes, Power-to-X runs the risk of turning from an opportunity for defossilising economies to one that fuels climate change. However, PtX is being recognised more and more as a pathway towards climate neutrality: 18 countries have integrated PtX into their NDCs to achieve their national climate targets - nine more than last year.

This October, the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) member states adopted the collective long-term global aspirational goal (LTAG) to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. At the 41st Assembly, ICAO also fully supported the new ICAO Assistance, Capacity Building and Training for Sustainable Aviation Fuels (ACT-SAF) Programme to accelerate the availability and use of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF).

The International PtX Hub has recently joined this programme. Our two main work areas focus on developing training materials for climate-neutral aviation and on supporting our partner countries in producing net-zero aviation fuel, starting with Kenya.

A crucial part of the contribution is a training module on “Pathways to Climate Neutral Aviation”. The module is an extension the PtX Hub’s Basic Training on Renewable Power-to-X (the PtX.Training).

This year, we have set up a strategic partnership with the Regional Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency in Cairo, Egypt. RCREEE is the intergovernmental and official technical arm of the League of Arab States on sustainable energy.

Starting from 2023, we will jointly work towards creating a solid framework for the emerging Power-to-X markets in the region - by establishing regional dialogues and exchanges and by learning from each other on enabling policies, standards and certification, guidelines and financial incentives.