Green hydrogen common infrastructure: readiness across regions and supply chains

As the global scale-up of green hydrogen accelerates, the lack of infrastructure readiness has emerged as a critical bottleneck. The coordinated development of common-user infrastructure (CUI), including pipelines, electrolyzsr clusters, desalination facilities, port terminals, and storage facilities, is essential to enable both domestic consumption and international trade. The next phase of growth requires infrastructure that is scalable, interoperable, resilient, and environmentally sustainable.

This session will explore infrastructure readiness across regions and supply chains, focusing particularly on Africa–EU collaboration and the development of port-based hydrogen hubs. International speakers from Namibia and India will discuss the fundamental role of a CUI framework in establishing green hydrogen projects and enabling ports to serve both domestic industries and export markets. These hubs leverage their proximity to fertiliser producers, refineries, and shipping operations, as well as existing storage and distribution systems. However, they face challenges such as the high cost of green hydrogen and ammonia, limited investment models, uncertain demand and complexities surrounding land acquisition.

The panel will present real-world examples, including South Africa’s Saldanha Freeport, to highlight efforts to balance ecosystem sensitivities with spatial and regulatory planning. It will examine trade-offs in logistics (truck, rail and pipeline), integrated hub development, and the role of digital tracking and sustainability in circular infrastructure design. Finally, the discussion will address how investment platforms and policy coordination can mitigate supply chain vulnerabilities and support the development of scalable infrastructure systems that are aligned with regional needs.