Dear Colleagues,

Hydrogen, the lightest energy molecule that burns to produce only water, is considered a frontrunner to replace carbon-dioxide-emitting fossil fuels. However, dihydrogen does not exist in nature in enough abundance; thus, it has to be produced from other primary energy feedstocks such as water and biomass. A recent surge in R&D activity is focused on addressing challenges centred around the entire hydrogen value chain: production, storage, transport, and end uses. The Special Issue will host papers on these topics to showcase hydrogen’s potential key role in the energy mix by the end of this decade. A foreword will capture the complexity of this non-carbon molecule.

In the modern economy, growth is sustained by energy consumption, with carbon emissions being a part of this. The nexus between economic growth, energy consumption, and carbon emissions is important for us to understand the physical foundations and constraints of the anthropocentic world. This Special Issue will host papers reflecting the nexus from different aspects.

The global energy shift was in the pipeline for many years but with slow progresses mainly due to low state and business engagement. The current war in Eastern Europe is not only accelerating the energy landscape transformation but also reshaping the logic of the energy value chain. Until now, it was mainly relying on the principle of low-cost supply in underdeveloped countries with high-value processing in developed countries. In the future, it would be organised around three main supply chains: the first one, based on the former logic, will expand with a consequent development of oil processing in the southern world for their own market. The second one will rely on the rehabilitation and the implementation of projects that were not cost efficient (for instance, shale oil in the USA and high deep-sea offshore extraction in African countries). The third one will proceed from the in-country development of renewable energy capacity both inland and at sea. This Special Issue aims to contribute to the advance of thinking on the consequences of the development of these three future ways of provisioning energy.

Prof. Dr. Devinder Mahajan
Prof. Dr. Pierre Failler
Prof. Dr. Zhan-Ming Chen
Guest Editors

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