Edmond Mkaratigwa

The aim is to assess possibilities for the implementation of hydrogen as an energy innovation and accessibility solution for sustainable development in Africa. Hydrogen as a fuel presents opportunities for tackling climate change. Continuous refinement and advancement of existing inventions and materials for reducing greenhouse gas emissions towards carbon neutrality should therefore be guaranteed. Findings from the remote Mkaratigwa Village corroborated the observation that there existed intense depletion and disruption of forests and ecosystems, revealing the need to embrace green hydrogen energy technologies for reducing carbon footprint and prevailing energy poverty mostly already afflicting girls, women and children. Work has to continue to ensure hydrogen energy satisfies the Sustainable Development Goal 7 criteria that encompasses affordability, reliability, sustainability and accessibility. Much more work remains on reducing barriers and motivating opportunities and enablers for improved embraceability of the technology in Zimbabwe and developing countries across the world. Production of hydrogen has nevertheless been reduced due to public policy shifts amid intermittent power supply and acute outages. Cost of grid power supply was impacting negatively on hydrogen production and more-so on its greening. Worldwide, renewable cleaner energy technologies including for hydrogen, are proved to be largely concentrated in the global North. Ironically to the contrary, critical mineral resources and materials that constitute the bulk of feedstock for brands original equipment manufacturers and suppliers, originated from Africa.

This book outlines the developments taking place in the energy sector. The main focus remains on hydrogen, but a discussion on the other en-ergy sources that exist provided a comparative analysis on the possibil-ity of use of hydrogen globally. There is adequate evidence that the trend is positive towards the use of hydrogen as energy in the industries and households because of the many advantages associated with it. The disadvantages are, to a larger extent, being worked on to ensure it is universally adopted for use. Threats of climate change to human surviv-al are the main drivers to innovation, as well as the distribution of the source of hydrogen, despite the location of the technologies in fewer parts of the globe. This book discusses the evolution of hydrogen, tech-nologies and methods being used in its manufacture, as well as existing challenges and breakthroughs.