US and China lead G20 in hydrogen race, says University of Sheffield study

The United States and China are at the forefront of global efforts to develop low-carbon hydrogen fuels, according to new research conducted by the University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom. The study, published in the journal Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, assessed legislation, investment and strategies across all G20 countries — the world’s 20 largest economies — with the aim of mapping each nation’s degree of maturity in building their hydrogen economies.

According to the researchers, the United States and China have shown consistent progress across all criteria analyzed. Next in line are the United Kingdom, the European Union and Canada. In contrast, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and Turkey were ranked as the nations with the least developed systems in this area. Brazil, along with Japan, India, South Africa, Russia and Argentina, has shown uneven performance: despite ongoing national strategies, they lack robust investment and the implementation of minimum technical standards to consolidate a functional hydrogen market.

This asymmetry reveals a structural weakness among G20 economies when it comes to the energy transition. According to the authors, without a common regulatory framework and coordinated objectives, the advancement of the hydrogen economy risks fragmentation and inefficiency — compromising the energy carrier’s potential to replace fossil fuels and reduce global carbon emissions.

Call for international standards to accelerate energy transition

The research found that only the US, China and the UK have published updated standards for hydrogen use, while countries such as Argentina, France and Italy have recently developed national regulations. In contrast, major economies such as Brazil, India, Japan, Mexico and Russia have yet to establish any formal legislation in the area – a regulatory vacuum that, according to the authors, compromises the creation of a cohesive global market.

For Professor Lenny Koh, director of the Advanced Resource Efficiency Centre and co-director of the Energy Institute at the University of Sheffield, the creation of an internationally recognised standard is imperative. “While some countries are making good progress, there are many that are lagging behind. A key action would be to develop international standards, starting with a clear definition of hydrogen and standardised emission limits. This would reduce confusion among stakeholders and help establish a unified market within the G20,” he argues.

By exposing the diversity of stages between countries, the study offers a strategic roadmap for policy decisions and targeted investment. More than a technical analysis, the work by the University of Sheffield raises a warning: hydrogen could be the fuel of the future — but only with international coordination will it be possible to transform it into a global vector for decarbonization.