HYDROGEN IN THE TRANSFORMATION OF GEOPOLITICS: NEW REALITY AND ITS CHALLENGES

Hydrogen has already become a common place in the energy policies of developed countries, and the coronavirus crisis has only accelerated this trend: the transition to clean energy is recorded in the state support packages to the affected economies. Germany has already adopted a national hydrogen strategy; by 2030. In 2020, the Russian government approved a hydrogen development roadmap until 2024. A hydrogen energy development concept, which formulates the hydrogen energy priorities including short-term, medium-term, and long-term goals, has already been drafted. However, it is not yet clear how the global economy will switch to a low-carbon model and what role hydrogen production will play in that transition. Therefore, the details of this global transition remain technologically unclear. Will there be any competition in the market? In consumers’ idea, hydrogen can also replace natural gas. However, now, market regulation and future competition between energy giants are not discussed, and there is still a long way to go; for now, it is necessary to launch pilot cooperation projects. The authors of this article dwell in detail on the problems and trends regarding how to use this opportunity.