Stakeholders pitch tweaks to Costa Rica hydrogen bill

A bill under review in Costa Rica’s legislative assembly to promote and implement a “green hydrogen economy” has drawn calls to amend the proposed legislation.

The initiative needs to include the establishment of a national hydrogen plan, according to Edgar Rivera, coordinator of local group Alianza por el Hidrógeno, the assembly reported.

The roadmap would require the participation of the environment and energy ministry as the governing body and the science, technology, and telecommunications ministry in its role to promote research and development, said Rivera.

The bill also should incorporate production for self-consumption, as well as the participation of the national training institute INA and public universities, he added.

The proposed legislation was introduced in February and seeks to eliminate barriers and provide incentives and financial support, such as soft loans and green bonds. The bill is available here, in Spanish, using file number 22392.

At a recent BNamericas webinar that looked at green hydrogen in Latin America and the Caribbean, Andreas Eisfelder, the regional head of Siemens' new energy businesses division, said that Costa Rica could become a major regional player.

Also read Costa Rica’s US$21bn decarbonization plan