Green hydrogen, or hydrogen generated by renewable energy, is fast becoming a strategic commodity for regions such as the European Union (EU) and Latin America as they transform into carbon-neutral economies. Green hydrogen is essential not only to replace grey hydrogen as a raw material for the process industry but, more importantly, as an energy carrier with low CO2 equivalents (CO2e). It is one of the critical technologies for decarbonizing industries such as steel, glass, and chemicals, as well as the transport sector.
To validate the general requirements and develop concepts for software to support the green hydrogen certification for Brazil and Germany, SAP has formed a public-private partnership with the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ). To help Brazilian suppliers prove their hydrogen is truly green, the project will evaluate and summarize certification rules and digital test solutions.
“This cooperation aims to promote sustainable hydrogen projects in developing and emerging countries,” said Sabine Bendiek, chief people and operating officer and member of the Executive Board at SAP SE, after signing a Letter of Intent (LoI) outlining the understanding between all parties. GIZ Brazil later countersigned the LoI at a delegation ceremony by the German Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, Robert Habeck.
Bendiek said, “One of SAP’s first collaborative aspirations with GIZ is to develop a pilot project to digitize the hydrogen certification processes for Brazilian companies. We’re excited to work with GIZ on this project, which will eventually allow certification data to be exchanged and evaluated along the value chain in a tamperproof, cost-efficient, and traceable manner.”
For example, the GreenToken by SAP solution can provide supply chain transparency right back to the origin of any material using a blockchain-based chain of custody for trust based on recognized standards such as ISCC PLUS, ISCC EU, and REDcert2. This unique digital twin on a blockchain approach can provide transparency into ESG (environmental, social, and governance) facts such as commodity origin, child labour, and recycled and sustainability status across company borders.