Task 20 – Energy Hubs for Green Hydrogen

A Collaborative Initiative by IEA PVPS

IEA PVPS is pleased to announce the launch of Task 20: Energy Hubs for Green Hydrogen, an innovative initiative running from 2025 to 2028. This new Task represents a collaboration with two other IEA Technology Collaboration Programmes (TCPs): IEA Wind and IEA Hydrogen TCP . Task 20 aims to accelerate the integration of wind, solar, and hydrogen technologies into hybrid energy systems to enable efficient and sustainable green hydrogen production.

What Are Hybrid Energy Hubs?

Hybrid energy hubs are advanced systems that merge renewable energy generation, digital tools, and energy storage solutions, including hydrogen production via electrolysis. By combining the strengths of wind and solar power, these hubs can adapt to diverse regional climates, market demands, and regulations, offering versatile solutions for sectors like heavy industry and transport.

A key focus of Task 20 is the role of green hydrogen as a clean energy carrier. By coupling renewable electricity with hydrogen production, the Task seeks to demonstrate how these systems can overcome electrification limitations in hard-to-abate sectors, advancing global decarbonization.

Bringing Together Expertise from Three Domains

Task 20 leverages the combined strengths of PVPS, Wind, and Hydrogen TCPs. This multidisciplinary collaboration enables a comprehensive exploration of hybrid systems, addressing their technical, economic, and societal dimensions.

Task 20 encourages the participation of experts from a wide variety of countries and regions. The diversity of approaches to integrating green hydrogen into energy systems is critical to ensuring scalable and adaptable solutions. The initiative particularly values contributions from regions exploring alternative pathways for green hydrogen in their energy mix.

Localized Solutions for Global Challenges

Task 20’s scope is extensive yet adaptive, designing systems tailored to specific climates, market structures, and regulations. Its outputs will include reference designs, adaptable for onshore and offshore applications, and a shared database consolidating field trial results, benefiting policymakers, researchers, and industry leaders.

Sustainability at the Core

The Task prioritizes environmental and societal considerations. Lifecycle assessments will inform best practices for minimizing ecological impacts, while tools for community engagement will ensure societal acceptance, addressing concerns like land use and ecological footprints.

Streamlining Development Through Clear Frameworks

Recognizing the need for regulatory and economic clarity, Task 20 will deliver resources such as checklists and contract templates to guide developers. It will also explore the levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH), equipping stakeholders with essential metrics to evaluate project viability.

Aiding Green Hydrogen Expansion through Policy Recommendations

Task 20 aims to develop energy scenarios that account for regional differences in green hydrogen adoption, addressing the shortcomings of generalized models. By focusing on regional specifics, it provides policymakers with tools to explore future possibilities, evaluate risks, and make informed decisions. Key deliverables include analyzing scenarios, assessing hydrogen production and consumption technologies, and estimating the anticipated levelized cost of hydrogen.

Moving Forward

Hybrid energy hubs represent a critical step in overcoming renewable energy intermittency challenges and achieving decarbonization goals. By integrating solar, wind, and hydrogen technologies, Task 20 will empower stakeholders with the tools and insights needed to make these systems a practical reality.

Participation Is Open

Task 20 remains open for participation by experts from countries that are members of PVPS. Experts interested in advancing hybrid energy hubs should contact their national representative in the Executive Committee.

Thank you for reading! For updates on Task 20 and more, visit our website IEA PVPS.

About IEA PVPS

The IEA Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme (PVPS) is one of the collaborative R&D Agreements established within the IEA and, since its establishment in 1993, the PVPS participants have been conducting a variety of joint projects in the application of photovoltaic conversion of solar energy into electricity.