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| The Future of Clean Energy: Opportunities, Challenges and Climate Solutions |
However, the transition to a cleaner energy system will require more than technological innovation. Affordable production, reliable infrastructure, supportive government policies and long-term investment will all play crucial roles in determining how quickly sustainable energy can replace conventional fuels.
Why Sustainable Energy Matters in the Fight Against Global Warming
Traditional energy systems depend heavily on coal, oil and natural gas. Burning these fuels releases carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that trap heat in the atmosphere and contribute to rising global temperatures.
Renewable energy offers an alternative by generating electricity from naturally replenished sources. Solar panels convert sunlight into electricity, wind turbines harness moving air, and hydropower uses flowing water to produce energy. These technologies generally produce far fewer greenhouse gas emissions during operation than fossil-fuel-based power generation.
Expanding renewable energy can also reduce dependence on imported fuels, improve energy security and create new employment opportunities. Yet renewable electricity alone cannot address every source of emissions. Heavy industry, long-distance shipping, aviation and certain chemical manufacturing processes require additional solutions to achieve deeper decarbonisation.
This is where low-emission hydrogen could become increasingly important.
Hydrogen Energy: A Potential Game-Changer
Hydrogen is an energy carrier rather than a primary energy source. It can store and deliver energy, but producing it requires energy and, depending on the production method, may generate substantial emissions.
Hydrogen produced through electrolysis uses electricity to separate water into hydrogen and oxygen. When the electricity comes from renewable sources such as wind or solar, the resulting hydrogen can have very low production-related emissions.
Hydrogen can also be produced from natural gas or other fossil fuels. However, these methods can generate significant emissions unless effective carbon capture and storage systems are used. Therefore, the climate benefits of hydrogen depend on how it is produced, transported and consumed.
In fuel cells, hydrogen reacts with oxygen to generate electricity, with water and heat as the main direct by-products. Hydrogen can also serve as an industrial feedstock or be converted into fuels for specific applications.
Its greatest potential may lie in sectors where replacing fossil fuels with electricity alone is technically challenging or economically impractical.
Where Hydrogen Could Make the Biggest Difference
1. Steel and Heavy Industry
Steelmaking and chemical manufacturing are among the sectors that could benefit from low-emission hydrogen. In certain steel production processes, hydrogen can replace carbon-intensive fuels and reducing agents, helping lower emissions.
Hydrogen can also replace conventionally produced hydrogen in existing industrial applications, including ammonia manufacturing and oil refining. These established uses may provide practical opportunities to expand cleaner hydrogen production before moving into newer markets.
2. Heavy Transport and Shipping
Battery-powered vehicles are increasingly suitable for passenger cars and many shorter-distance journeys. However, heavy-duty transport, selected freight operations and some maritime applications may require different energy solutions.
Hydrogen fuel cells and hydrogen-derived fuels could offer alternatives in specific circumstances, particularly where long operating hours, refuelling requirements or energy storage constraints make other technologies less suitable.
Nevertheless, hydrogen vehicles face challenges involving fuel costs, storage, refuelling infrastructure and energy efficiency. Their role will depend on the application and the availability of more economical alternatives.
3. Energy Storage and Power Systems
Solar and wind power depend on weather conditions, creating challenges for electricity systems that require reliable supplies throughout the day and across seasons.
Surplus renewable electricity can potentially be used to produce hydrogen, which can then be stored and converted back into electricity or used in industry when needed. This approach could support energy security and help integrate renewable power into the wider energy system.
However, converting electricity into hydrogen and subsequently back into electricity involves significant energy losses. Batteries, grid improvements and other storage technologies may be more efficient for many shorter-duration applications.
Latest Global Developments in Hydrogen Energy
The International Energy Agency's Global Hydrogen Review 2026 highlights both the progress and the continuing difficulties facing the low-emission hydrogen industry.
According to the report, global hydrogen demand exceeded 100 million tonnes in 2025. However, demand remained concentrated in established industrial applications, while low-emission hydrogen production grew by 20% to nearly one million tonnes.
The report also identifies high production costs, uncertain demand, regulatory challenges and inadequate infrastructure as major barriers to faster adoption. Although investment and technology development continue, many announced projects have faced delays or cancellations.
These findings suggest that hydrogen has considerable long-term potential, but its contribution to global climate goals will depend on turning planned projects into commercially viable operations.
Source: International Energy Agency, Global Hydrogen Review 2026.
The Economic and Technological Challenges
Despite its promise, hydrogen is not a universal replacement for fossil fuels. Producing low-emission hydrogen often costs more than producing conventional hydrogen from fossil fuels. Renewable electricity prices, electrolyser costs, financing conditions and the availability of suitable infrastructure all affect its competitiveness.
Hydrogen also requires specialised storage and transportation systems. Because it has a low volumetric energy density, transporting it can require compression, liquefaction or conversion into other chemical forms. Each option introduces additional costs and energy requirements.
Another challenge is ensuring that hydrogen production genuinely reduces emissions. Using electricity generated from coal or other carbon-intensive sources to produce hydrogen can significantly weaken its environmental benefits.
Governments and businesses will therefore need transparent emissions standards, reliable certification systems and careful project assessments to ensure that hydrogen investments deliver measurable climate benefits.
What This Means for Bangladesh
Bangladesh could explore sustainable energy and low-emission hydrogen as part of its longer-term energy transition. Expanding solar power, improving energy efficiency, strengthening electricity infrastructure and reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels could provide immediate and practical benefits.
The country may also examine whether renewable hydrogen could support selected industrial applications, particularly in sectors that already use hydrogen or related chemical feedstocks. Cleaner production of industrial inputs could eventually help reduce emissions and improve the competitiveness of export-oriented industries.
However, Bangladesh would need to address several constraints before large-scale hydrogen deployment becomes practical. These include the cost of renewable electricity, access to investment, technical expertise, water-resource management, industrial infrastructure and the development of appropriate safety regulations.
A phased approach would be more realistic than pursuing large hydrogen projects without sufficient renewable electricity or confirmed industrial demand. Pilot projects, international technology partnerships and feasibility studies could help identify the most promising applications.
For Bangladesh, the immediate priority should remain expanding affordable clean electricity and improving energy efficiency while preparing for technologies that may become more commercially viable in the future.
The Road Ahead: Building a Cleaner Energy Future
The future of sustainable energy will depend on combining different technologies rather than relying on a single solution. Solar and wind power can supply increasingly large amounts of clean electricity, while batteries and improved electricity grids can help balance supply and demand. Low-emission hydrogen may complement these technologies in selected industrial, transport and energy-storage applications.
Governments can accelerate this transition by supporting research, improving regulatory certainty, encouraging private investment and developing infrastructure where genuine demand exists. Businesses can contribute by adopting energy-efficient processes, investing in cleaner production and measuring emissions throughout their supply chains.
Consumers also have a role to play through energy conservation, efficient appliances and more sustainable transportation choices.
Ultimately, hydrogen alone will not stop global warming. Its value lies in helping reduce emissions where other clean technologies face limitations. When supported by renewable energy, sound policies and responsible investment, hydrogen could become an important part of a broader strategy to build a lower-carbon global economy.