In 2020, **Chile** presented its **National Green Hydrogen Strategy** with the goal of becoming a world leader in the production and export of this **[fuel](https://noticiasambientales.com/energia/un-megaproyecto-de-hidrogeno-verde-en-chubut-potencia-a-la-provincia-como-lider-en-produccion-en-la-region/)** by 2030. The project also aims to move towards **carbon neutrality**, positioning the country as a key player in the **global energy transition**.
**Green hydrogen** is produced through water electrolysis, a process that separates hydrogen and oxygen molecules using electricity from **renewable energies**. Unlike gray hydrogen, generated from **natural gas** and highly **polluting**, this alternative promises to be clean and versatile. Its advocates even call it “the champagne of energies” for its potential in sectors such as mining, steelmaking, or **fertilizer production**.
However, these promises face challenges. **Green hydrogen** is not only costly to produce but also requires complex infrastructure and large amounts of water, a scarce resource in several regions of the country. Additionally, there are **environmental risks** associated with the installation of plants, solar parks, **wind turbines**, and mega-ports that could disrupt unique ecosystems.
International pressure adds another dimension. **Europe**, especially Germany and the **Netherlands**, see Chile as a strategic source of supply. These nations lack sufficient renewable capacity to produce hydrogen on a large scale and seek to source it from the Global South, raising dilemmas about **environmental justice** and energy equity.
## The obstacles of promised energy
Chile has exceptional natural conditions for renewables. The Atacama Desert in the north receives the most intense **solar radiation** on the planet. In the southern tip, Magallanes has strong and constant winds that could generate an inexhaustible **energy flow**. It is estimated that the country could produce up to 13% of the world’s green hydrogen in the future.
But the technology presents difficulties. Hydrogen is a very small molecule, difficult to contain in traditional pipelines and tanks. One option to facilitate its transport is to convert it into ammonia, adding costly and inefficient steps to the process. This is in addition to the need for electrolysis plants, desalination plants, and port terminals for export, each with **significant environmental impacts**.
Financing is already underway. Chile received a loan from the World Bank and significant European investment for infrastructure. With this, the country projects exports of $30 billion by 2050, which could transform its economy as much as copper did. However, the **ecological costs** could be irreversible.
## Biodiversity at risk
The installation of large-scale **solar panels** and **wind turbines** can disrupt fragile ecosystems. In the north, unique desert species such as the gray gull and the Torres-Mura dragon could see their habitats reduced. In the south, the migratory routes of **whales and birds** are endangered by the construction of ports and wind turbines. Studies warn that thousands of birds could die each year from collisions with turbines, affecting **already vulnerable populations**.
Water represents another critical challenge. To produce hydrogen, the liquid must be highly pure, requiring the installation of desalination plants that consume a lot of energy. The resulting brine, if not properly managed, can alter **marine salinity** and destroy **coastal ecosystems**.
These tensions reveal a paradox: the country is committed to an energy called “clean,” but its implementation could generate new **pollution hotspots** and **loss of biodiversity**.
## Uses and global appeal of green hydrogen
International interest stems from the fact that **[green hydrogen](https://noticiasambientales.com/energia/biometano-e-hidrogeno-verde-los-nuevos-vectores-para-una-transicion-energetica-con-impacto-local/)** can decarbonize industrial sectors where traditional renewables fall short. It can replace coal in steel production, substitute **fossil fuels** in the chemical industry, and become a key input for more **sustainable fertilizers**. It can also be stored and used as fuel in heavy transport, trains, or ships, offering long-term alternatives to oil and gas.
The global race for this energy responds to commitments to **climate neutrality**. Germany, Japan, South Korea, and the European Union see green hydrogen as the missing piece to meet their goals without sacrificing strategic productive sectors. However, producing it in their own territories would be too costly due to space and **natural resource** limitations, leading them to turn to countries like Chile or Namibia.
This external interest explains the massive investments already flowing into the Southern Cone. However, it also raises questions about energy sovereignty and **environmental justice**: as the Global North reduces its emissions, the impacts fall on **ecosystems** and local communities in the South.
Green hydrogen emerges as a crucial piece for the global energy future, but its massive deployment is not without contradictions. Chile is at a crossroads between becoming a green power or repeating old extractive patterns disguised as **innovation**. The decision, and its consequences, will not only shape its economy but also the health of its ecosystems in the coming decades.
