Japan and EU race to develop 'green hydrogen'

TOKYO -- Japan and the European Union are racing to develop hydrogen, which has long been promised as a clean energy source of the future.

That future is now taking shape off the coast of the Netherlands, where one of Europe's biggest green hydrogen projects is underway. The NortH2 project is intended to produce up to 4 million kW of offshore wind power by 2030. The energy is to then power seawater-to-hydrogen electrolysis, with the hydrogen to be delivered to industries across the Netherlands and Western Europe. Its use is expected to reduce carbon emissions by an annual 8 million tons to 10 million tons by 2040.