Green Hydrogen Pathways for Sustainable Urban Development: Infrastructure, Policy, and Sociotechnical Integration

The rapid urbanization rate has put pressure on energy systems, which has led to increased greenhouse gas emissions and environmental challenges. However, the emergence of green hydrogen, which is produced using the process of electrolysis through the use of renewable energy sources, has been identified as a clean and efficient form of energy that can be used in the development of sustainable urban centers. This paper seeks to examine the potential of green hydrogen in reducing emissions and promoting energy security and the adoption of the circular economy in various sectors such as the industrial, transportation, agriculture, and energy sectors. Additionally, the infrastructure and organizational and workforce aspects of green hydrogen will be discussed in this paper. It will be demonstrated that green hydrogen has the potential to promote environmental justice through the reduction of emissions and the provision of energy services that benefit the environment. Although various challenges have been identified in the development of green hydrogen, such as the high cost of electrolyzers and the lack of social acceptance, investments in green hydrogen have the potential to address these challenges and promote the sustainability of urban centers.