“The future of green hydrogen is a wicked challenge”

Towards a sustainable and just industry

Peter Dung, a physicist, recently began a new role at Utrecht University. In this position, he won’t perform academic research but focus on developing methods to facilitate dialogue among key players in the rapidly expanding green hydrogen industry. While this may seem like a surprising transition for a physicist, Dung sees it as a natural progression. "Academically and practically, I'm shifting towards the study of complex systems and tackling them. For me, the green hydrogen debate is just another example of such a system."

Green hydrogen, which is a sustainable gas produced from water using renewable energy, plays an important role in the energy transition. It can be used as a fuel in aviation and heavy industry, and as a raw material in the production of chemicals. In addition, it allows for large-scale storage of renewable energy.

Physicist Peter Dung
Physicist Peter Dung

Marine life and the Global South

The production, storage, transport, and use of green hydrogen are developing quickly. However, stakeholders lack a comprehensive understanding of key aspects, according to Dung. For example, the potential impact of offshore green hydrogen plants on marine ecosystems remains unclear. Additionally, entities planning to import green hydrogen from the Global South often overlook the social, economic, environmental, and ethical implications for the countries and communities involved.

Blind spots

Dung personally encountered the limitations of his own perspective. "During my postdoc, I researched the efficiency of electrolysers, which are essential for converting water into hydrogen. I knew they generated a significant amount of heat, but it never occurred to me that, when used in industrial settings, this excess heat could cause environmental issues. Scale matters.” Dung learnt from a researcher in Utrecht that, due to heat management challenges, a laboratory electrolyser needs to operate at a capacity of at least ten kilowatts to make valid comparisons with industrial settings. “It was something I just hadn’t considered," he admits.

People need a holistic mindset, where they view the issue as an integrated whole, rather than focusing on isolated parts

Physicist Peter Dung

A new mindset

According to Dung, ensuring that the future of green hydrogen is both sustainable and just, requires stakeholders to make fully informed decisions. This means considering all potential consequences. As he puts it, "People need a holistic mindset, where they view the issue as an integrated whole, rather than focusing on isolated parts." He emphasizes that this approach requires openness to diverse perspectives, as the green hydrogen debate is full of complexities and nuances.

Rethink hydrogen

How can we help stakeholders develop this holistic mindset? In November 2023, an interdisciplinary team of researchers from the Pathways to Sustainability Programme at Utrecht University launched a project called Rethink Hydrogen to explore this very question. Funded by the programme, the team began mapping all the critical aspects - along with their interconnections - that are essential for ensuring a just and sustainable future for green hydrogen.

Dung is leading the next phase of the project: collaborating with alumni from the HKU University of the Arts. The focus shifts to creating an intricate web of interrelated factors and translating it into a prototype that effectively fosters dialogue between stakeholders, researchers, and a broader audience. In the coming months, the team plans to release the first prototype, which will be tailored for students as the initial target audience.

In high school, I had a math teacher who really inspired me with a Chinese historical quote: 融會貫通

Physicist Peter Dung

Living lab

What will this prototype look like? It could take the form of an interactive game or an engaging computer simulation. “However”, as Dung points out, "it could be anything. We have a ten-square-meter room and closely collaborate with the artists from the HKU, but we’re still exploring where it will lead." Ultimately, the goal is for the prototype to help students - and eventually other groups - develop a holistic mindset and actively contribute to the ongoing green hydrogen debate. In this sense, the space will serve as a lab that ‘lives on its own’, evolving with input and experimentation.

Inspiring math teacher

Dung aims to advance his academic career in the field of complex systems science, making the coming months a valuable opportunity for growth. "The future of green hydrogen is a wicked challenge - an ever-evolving complex system," he explains.

Furthermore, Dung's interests have always extended beyond physics, encompassing subjects like philosophy and culture. "In high school, I had a math teacher who really inspired me. He emphasized a Chinese historical quote: 融會貫通, which means that to achieve a complete understanding of a problem, one needs to integrate and connect different kinds of knowledge and concepts", Dung recalls. Now, with knowledge of electrolyser technology and experience in communicating with researchers from diverse disciplines, he is doing just that: bridging the gap between his technical expertise and broader societal challenges, as well as the gap between different fields, alongside an interdisciplinary team of researchers.

If you want to know more about the Rethink Hydrogen project, or other projects in which the natural sciences contribute to sustainability, please send an e-mail to: energy.transition@uu.nl