PE Live: Stars have aligned for hydrogen economy
The versatility of hydrogen, for use as a decarbonised fuel and as energy storage for renewables, is attracting unprecedented interest
All the factors that are required for the construction of a hydrogen economy have started to fall into place, the expert panel assembled for the PE Live 7 webcast agreed last week. “The circumstances are now right, or close to being right, for hydrogen, particularly if we are speaking about green hydrogen,” says James F Bowe Jr, partner, corporate, finance and investments, at law firm King & Spalding. Green hydrogen—produced from renewable power through electrolysis—is gaining increasing prominence as a means to store wind and solar power that would otherwise be curtailed. “There are a number of different trends that are coming together in a way that makes green hydrogen look as though
Also in this section
4 February 2026
Europe’s largest electrolyser manufacturers are losing patience with policymakers as sluggish growth in the green hydrogen sector undermines their decision to expand production capacity
2 February 2026
As a fertiliser feedstock, it is indispensable, but ammonia’s potential as a carbon-free energy carrier is also making it central to global decarbonisation strategies
28 January 2026
The development of hydrogen’s distribution system must speed up if the industry is to stand any chance of grabbing a meaningful slice of the low-carbon energy market
14 January 2026
Continent’s governments must seize the green hydrogen opportunity by refining policies and ramping up the development of supply chains and infrastructure






