Is the world giving up on green hydrogen? | Hydrogen energy is having an identity crisis but who’s to blame?

In 2025, the US will consolidate its position as a blue-focused hydrogen market, driven by policy developments under a second Trump administration. A surge in blue hydrogen investment – with at least three large-scale blue hydrogen projects reaching FID – will see the US emerge as the world's leading blue hydrogen producer. So what about the much-hyped green hydrogen? Has the industry given up on it?  To find out, host Sylvia Leyva Martinez, principal analyst at Wood Mackenzie, is joined by hydrogen analyst Bridget Van Dorsten. Bridget explains why, despite massive project announcements, only a fraction of hydrogen projects have actually moved forward. What are the biggest roadblocks to deployment? Already in 2025 we’re seeing financing hurdles, off-take uncertainty, and the challenges of scaling both green and blue hydrogen. To unpack the financial hurdles, Carl Cho - Director of Clean Energy Finance at Citibank – also joins the show. He breaks down the "hype cycle" surrounding hydrogen and why investors are hesitant to commit to long-term deals.  Plus, Bridget and Carl look at the economics of hydrogen production, the learning curve of building large-scale infrastructure, and whether small, localised projects could be a better approach. They also debate economies of scale vs. economies of production and how hydrogen might fit into the future of energy. Sylvia thinks it could be better suited to a localised role in microgrids, industrial hubs, but what about data center energy demands?    For more on this, check out the Lens Hydrogen report from Wood Mac. Lens is a data analytics platform with sector-specific insights to help you power your Business Intelligence tools. Find it at woodmac.com/lens Follow the podcast wherever your listening so you don’t miss our next episode – out every second Tuesday from 7am ET. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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Clean tech, green finance and energy innovation are the three lanes on the road to a successful global energy transition. At the intersection of these lanes is a place where ideas on finance, technology and policy are shared and debated. That intersection is Interchange Recharged.  Sylvia Leyva Martinez, principal analyst at Wood Mackenzie, invites visionaries, entrepreneurs, policy-makers and energy analysts to explore the newest developments in renewable technology, explain the ideas on global energy policy that could accelerate the energy transition, and identify new funding and financial models that could solve the biggest challenges we face on the way to net zero.  Sylvia and her guests bring you data and forecasts on clean technology, climate science, and offer predictions on the build out of utility-scale projects and the future of green finance. What impacts do the annual UN Conference of the Parties have on decarbonisation goals and climate change? What will COP30 bring? What’s happening in global EV adoption and development? What’s the forecast for solar energy, one of the major success stories of renewable energy in the last ten years? What does the data tell us about the future of hydrogen, of nuclear, or of low-carbon power?  These are examples of the insights and detailed analyses you can expect bi-weekly on Tuesdays at 7am ET.  If you like The Energy Transition Show, Catalyst with Shayle Kann, The Big Switch from Columbia University, Open Circuit with Stephen Lacey or The Green Blueprint, you’ll enjoy Interchange Recharged.  Want to get involved with the show? Reach out to podcasts@woodmac.com to: Bring Sylvia and Interchange Recharged to your event Be a guest on the show  Sponsor an episode Ask a question to Sylvia or one of our guests  Check out another leading clean tech global podcast by Wood Mackenzie, Energy Gang, at woodmac.com/podcasts/the-energy-gang Wood Mackenzie is the leading global data and analytics solutions provider for renewables, energy and natural resources. Learn more about Wood Mackenzie on the official website: https://www.woodmac.com/