The fast-changing energy need of Asian oil importers is prompting Middle Eastern oil producers to accelerate their hydrogen efforts to ensure they can supply both oil and hydrogen to their biggest customers, a strategic push to prevent losing out a part of their future business to potential exporters like Australia.

Singapore — The move by India’s Adani Group to seal a strategic deal in the hydrogen space with Italy’s Snam may serve as a wake-up call for other energy firms in the region to increasingly tap the expertise of companies in Europe, where the push toward the carbon-free fuel is moving at a much faster pace than in Asia.

Plans for the Denmark site to be one of the largest for assembling the machines that make hydrogen from electricity were finalized about a year ago. But demand for those electrolyzers is growing so fast that Baden’s now planning to double its size.

Singapore — Asia may witness some of the initial hydrogen trade flows from Australia to Japan and South Korea, the two countries in the region that have rolled out long-term plans for the clean fuel, which analysts and market participants said have to be largely met through imports.

From finding low-cost production methods to creating a transparent price discovery mechanism, hydrogen has a few challenges to overcome to make bigger inroads into leading Asia-Pacific markets, says Edgare Kerkwijk, Board Member of the Asia-Pacific Hydrogen Association, in an interview with S&P Global Platts Senior Editor Sambit Mohanty.

Singapore — South Korea’s ambitions to make hydrogen a part of its transport fuel mix is garnering support from its auto makers such as Hyundai Motor, as it looks to gain ground in a space that is being hotly pursued by other Asian countries.

Singapore — From considering subsidies on fuel cell vehicles to finding ways to encourage consumption in new sectors, China is pushing ahead with plans to make hydrogen a key component in its energy mix as Asia’s leading energy consumer looks to shed its dependence on fossil fuel imports as well as clean up its skies.

Singapore-based industry body was established by several renewable energy industry executives in the region. Several Asia-based renewable energy industry executives have set up the Asia-Pacific (APAC) Hydrogen Association.The Singapore-based association aims to coordinate international policy, communications, research and analysis and will provide services to support members’ requirements and needs to help their development.