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Opportunities for trade integration in clean energy value chains
Nearly 40 per cent of anthropogenic GHG emissions are caused by burning fossil fuels to produce electricity (IEA, 2022b). Decarbonizing electricity generation is a critical step toward achieving net zero goals. Target 7.2 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) calls for a substantial increase in the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix by 2030 (UN General Assembly, 2015).
Executive summary
Energy generation infrastructure has long been identified by Aid for Trade stakeholders as requiring additional, predictable and sustainable financing to enable developing economies and LDCs to participate more fully in international trade. The energy sector is one of the largest recipients of Aid for Trade support, accounting for nearly 25 per cent of all disbursements (US$ 116 billion) over the 2010-21 period.
Annex
This annex provides a comprehensive, but non-exhaustive, list of quality infrastructure elements for green hydrogen (GH2) that should be implemented, according to an Expert Survey for IRENA’s ongoing project “Quality Infrastructure for Green Hydrogen: technical standards and quality control for the production and trade of renewable hydrogen”.
Acknowledgements/Abbreviations
This publication has been prepared under the overall guidance of Aik Hoe Lim of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and Roland Roesch of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).
Mapping supply chain issues from a trade perspective
Green hydrogen has a number of uses. It can be used directly as an energy carrier and chemical input in multiple end-use applications. It can also be combined with a sustainable carbon source or with nitrogen, to produce derivative compounds such as methanol or ammonia, which can be used as feedstock for chemical production (e.g., plastics and fertilizers) or as sustainable fuels.
Acknowledgements
This co-publication of the World Meteorological Organization and the World Trade Organization was prepared under the overall guidance of Michael Roberts, Head, Aid-for-Trade Unit, Development Division, WTO, and Dr Roberta Boscolo, Influencer, Climate & Energy Leader at WMO. Hoe Lim, Director of the Trade and Environment Division at the WTO, supervised the work.
Conclusions
Expanded grid interconnection can advance the transition to low-carbon energy and unlock trade opportunities in renewable electricity, including for developing economies and LDCs.
Executive Summary
This co-publication of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the World Trade Organization (WTO) focuses on a core aspect of international trade: ensuring security of supply. This role is increasingly important in the context of the transition to renewable energy, which is central to mitigating the effects of climate change.