Why stop H2Med?
The H2Med hydrogen pipelines are designed to extract energy from peripheric regions of Spain, Portugal and northern Africa to the industrial centres in Europe. This infrastructure enables a new wave of green extractivism, fuelling climate crisis and the corporate energy transition. Parallel to the planning of this centralised mega infrastructure, activists are imagining and constructing alternative, just energy futures that overcome corporate power and leave no one behind. Listen to stories from activists fighting for a just energy transition along the pipeline, find out why they are criticising the devolopments taking place and which alternative futures they cronstruct instead.
What is hydrogen?
Hydrogen (H2) can be used to store energy. Water (H2O) contains H2 and O (oxygen). In complicated and energy- and water intensive processes water H2 can be produced. H2 can be transported to places where energy can be set free through electrolysis. H2 is usually stored as a gas and very difficult to handle. Transporting or storing it is very expensive, energy intensive and technically challenging.
What is ‘green’ hydrogen?
If the energy that is used for these processes is completely provided by low-carbon technology (so-called renewables), such as wind or solar generators, the product is called ‘green hydrogen’.
Why transport ‘green’ hydrogen?
Some regions in the European Union are looking non-fossil energy supply to keep their destructive economic growth running that are currently powered by fossils such as coal or gas. For example the steel industry in western Germany.