Trinidad and Tobago signs certification system for low-carbon hydrogen production

Trinidad and Tobago has become the only CARICOM nation to sign a certification system for clean and low-carbon hydrogen production in the region, making it the flag bearer of sustainable energy sourcing in the Caribbean.

This initiative is being approached in collaboration with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Latin America Partnership Organization (OLADE). These two conglomerates have come together to launch the “Decarbonising LAC”, which is a declaration that applies to heavy industries in the region.

As a part of this declaration’s remit, a new system called CertHiLAC will be introduced. CertHiLAC is a certification system for the production of clean and low-carbon hydrogen production.

This initiative aims to use hydrogen for various purposes, to dial back the carbon emissions in the region. Since the Caribbean is affected far more than most other regions by the ill-effects of climate change, it is being seen as an important step forward in the progression of the region.

The gauntlet has been thrown by Trinidad and Tobago, which has become the first out of the many climate conscious Caribbean nation to buy into this initiative.

The initiative is not limited to the Caribbean though, as it applies to Latin America as well. This collaborative initiative has been termed by many as one of the only ways to address the climate crisis while pushing for a rapid pivot towards sustainable practices, both economically and in other fields.

The certification system aims to integrate the expectations of not just a few nations but the entire region while also setting a standard for sustainable hydrogen production.

The initiative also aims to make sure that the products being used are sourced responsibly by certifying clean hydrogen production in Latin America and the Caribbean, contingent on the fact that the processes meet the standards set by CertHiLAC.

As of now, CertHiLAC is a regional initiative but intentions for it to become an internationally recognised, standardized option have been made clear already.

The current agenda focuses on building sustainable systems in the Latin American and Caribbean regions, so as to make them the flag bearers of the low-emissions hydrogen production market. Thus, setting a standard for the world to follow.