South Korea’s energy mix is currently dominated by fossil fuels, which account for approximately 60% of electricity generation as of early 2025. However, the country is undergoing a major transition to Carbon-Free Energy (CFE), with a strategic goal to make 70% of its power generation carbon-free by 2038.

South Korea relies on imports for nearly 98% of its fossil fuel consumption, making it highly vulnerable to global price volatility.

South Korea is aggressively advancing a green hydrogen economy to achieve 2050 carbon neutrality, investing in infrastructure for production, storage, and mobility. Key initiatives include developing Jeju Island as a hub with commercial production, boosting fuel cell vehicles (approx. 40,000 units), and launching major 1GW projects led by Hyundai. While importing roughly 80% of its hydrogen needs, the country is expanding domestic production, with Jeju Island hosting the nation’s first commercial green hydrogen refueling station and aiming for 30 MW capacity.

Hyundai is developing a 1GW green hydrogen project, including Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) electrolyzer manufacturing, as part of a massive, multi-year investment package. The government is establishing “hydrogen cities” where hydrogen powers buildings and transportation. Around 40,000 hydrogen vehicles are currently in operation, with plans for further expansion.

The government is fostering the sector with, for instance, the world’s first hydrogen-based power bidding market. New regulations include a strict “clean hydrogen standard” of 4kg CO₂
equivalent per kg of hydrogen. Despite its advancements, South Korea faces high domestic production costs and relies heavily on imports for its green hydrogen.

Korea National Oil Corporation has located five promising sites for, or occurrences of, natural hydrogen, with investigations ongoing. Korea is simultaneously investing heavily in liquefied hydrogen storage and hydrogen-powered vehicles (FCEVs).

Based on available reports as of early 2026, South Korea has not confirmed the discovery of commercially viable white (natural) hydrogen deposits, but it is actively investigating its potential.

North Korea relies primarily on coal and hydropower for its energy, which together account for the vast majority of its domestic electricity production. Hydropower is the dominant source of electricity, accounting for approximately 53% to 76% of total generation. Coal is North Korea’s most abundant indigenous energy resource, primarily in the form of anthracite. There has been a significant surge in private solar panel use by households and small businesses. Estimates suggest over 55% of households may now use small photovoltaic systems. Larger state-run installations, such as the Sinuiju Solar Power Station, are also being developed.

North Korea has not made any significant, official advancements or announcements regarding green hydrogen production.

Kiribati’s energy mix is dominated by imported fossil fuels, primarily diesel for electricity generation, but it is actively transitioning to renewables, with solar power providing nearly 17% of its electricity as of 2022. The country relies heavily on petroleum for transport, while solar and biomass are used for cooking and lighting in outer islands. Solar Power is the dominant renewable source, growing in usage through PV systems for both residential and utility-scale projects.

Kiribati is exploring green hydrogen technology as a strategic, long-term solution to decarbonize its power generation and transportation sectors. Feasibility studies, such as those focusing on Tarawa, are investigating the integration of green hydrogen within hybrid microgrids to enhance renewable energy penetration. The country is actively exploring how green hydrogen can replace fossil fuels in transportation and electricity generation.

As of 2026 Kiribati does not have a dedicated green hydrogen strategy.

Kenya’s energy landscape is defined by a high reliance on biomass for overall consumption and a world-leading renewable-dominant electricity sector. As of early 2026, renewable sources—primarily geothermal, hydro, and wind—account for 90% to 92% of Kenya’s electricity generation.

Kenya is the seventh-largest geothermal producer globally and the largest in Africa. Its grid-connected capacity stood at approximately 3,840.8 MW as of June 2025.

Kenya is positioning itself as a leader in African green hydrogen, leveraging its massive geothermal, wind, and solar resources—which already provide over 90% of its electricity. The government’s Green Hydrogen Strategy and Roadmap targets the first commercial-scale projects to be operational by 2027.

As of 2024, Kazakhstan’s energy mix remains heavily reliant on fossil fuels, which account for approximately 85% of its electricity generation. Coal continues to be the dominant source, primarily due to the country’s vast domestic reserves and low extraction costs.

Kazakhstan is positioning itself as a global hub for green hydrogen, leveraging its vast wind and solar potential to target carbon neutrality by 2060. As of early 2026, the country has progressed from conceptual planning to concrete international investment agreements and pilot projects. These include Hyrasia One (Svevind Energy Group), which aims to produce up to 2 million tons of green hydrogen annually (or 11 million tons of ammonia); YPP Corporation (South Korea) a $3.1 billion framework agreement signed in July 2025 to build a green energy complex. The project will utilize 2 GW of wind and solar power to produce 75,000 tons of green hydrogen and 310,000 tons of green ammonia annually for domestic use and export; Eurasian Resources Group is building a $1.2 billion hydrogen-ready direct-reduced-iron (DRI) plant in Rudny, Green Iron Plant (ERG). Scheduled for commissioning in 2029, it will transition from natural gas to hydrogen as it becomes commercially viable. Germany established a dedicated Hydrogen Diplomacy Office in Astana to strengthen ties and facilitate technology transfer. Recent high-level discussions in February 2026 reaffirmed commitments to developing logistics corridors for hydrogen export to Europe. Kazakhstan and the EU have a strategic partnership focused on sustainable raw materials and renewable hydrogen. The country aims to meet approximately one-fifth of the EU’s projected import demand for green hydrogen by 2030. China Energy Corporation is interested in localizing production and creating regional hydrogen clusters.

The Ministry of Energy’s national hydrogen development concept through 2030 outlines several milestones:
2026: Initial use of hydrogen in combined-cycle power plants.
2027: Introduction of hydrogen into public transport systems.
2028: Launch of the first hydrogen filling stations.

Kazakhstan is exploring the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route and pipeline options through the Caspian Sea to transport hydrogen (primarily in the form of ammonia) to global markets.

Jordan has undergone a significant energy transition, moving from near-total dependence on imported fossil fuels to becoming a regional leader in renewable energy. As of late 2024, renewable sources (primarily solar and wind) contribute approximately 27% to 28% of the country’s electricity generation mix.

The National Energy Strategy 2020–2030 originally aimed for 31% renewables in the power mix by 2030, but this has since been revised to 50% due to rapid progress.

Jordan is developing a comprehensive Green Hydrogen Strategy, integrated with its 2030 and 2050 Economic Modernization Vision, aiming to produce 0.6 million tons annually by 2030 and 3.4 million tons by 2050. The strategy leverages Jordan’s solar and wind potential for export (mainly to the EU) and domestic industrial use, with significant investment planned in Aqaba for infrastructure.

As of May 27, 2027, Jordan’s online energy information server was not operational.

Japan’s energy mix is heavily dependent on imported fossil fuels, which accounted for approximately 65–70% of electricity generation in 2023–2024, primarily from liquefied natural gas (LNG) and coal. While nuclear power is gradually recovering to 8–9% post-Fukushima, renewables (mainly solar) have increased to over 25% of the power mix. The nation aims to reduce emissions by boosting nuclear to 20% and renewables to 40-50% by 2040.

Japan is a global leader in hydrogen technology, accounting for 24% of worldwide hydrogen-related patent applications. As of February 2026, the country is transitioning from pilot demonstrations to large-scale commercialization, backed by a $100 billion public-private investment plan over the next 15 years. Japan’s Basic Hydrogen Strategy (updated June 2023) and the GX (Green Transformation) 2040 Vision (upgraded February 2025) outline the following consumption goals: 3 million tons per year by 2030; 20 million tons per year by 2050.

The 16MW Suntory Kakushu green hydrogen plant, the largest in Japan, went online as of Oct. 2025 (demo through 2026), and the Kawasaki LH2 Terminal, the country’s first liquid hydrogen import facility, started construction in November 2025, operational by 2030.

Jamaica’s energy mix is dominated by imported fossil fuels, which accounted for approximately 89% of the country’s electricity generation as of 2022. While the nation has made significant strides in diversifying toward natural gas, it remains vulnerable to global oil price fluctuations.

Jamaica is developing a national green hydrogen strategy, supported by a United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) project funded by the Green Climate Fund (GCF) launched in mid-2025. This initiative aims to establish a regulatory framework, attract investment, and build infrastructure to decarbonize hard-to-abate sectors like transport and shipping.

As of 2026 Jamaica is not yet producing hydrogen from electrolysis of seawater.

Italy’s overall energy mix (including heating, transport, and industry) is dominated by fossil fuels, which provide nearly 80% of Italy’s needs. Natural gas (39.8%) is mostly used for electricity generation and heating; however, renewables account for 41.2% of generation, a record high. Oil dominates the transport sector.

Italy is positioning itself as a central European hub for green hydrogen, leveraging its strategic Mediterranean location to connect North African production with European demand. As of February 2026, the country has locked EU green hydrogen targets into national law through the RED III Directive, mandating specific usage for industrial and transport sectors.

Several facilities are already operational, including Hyround in Sestu, Sardinia; Porto Marghera, featuring a 5 MW electrolyzer by Sapio; SoutH2 Corridor, a 3,300 km pipeline initiative led by Snam to transport green hydrogen from North Africa (Algeria, Tunisia) to Italy, Austria, and Germany; and Modena Hydrogen Valley, a joint venture between Snam and Hera capable of producing 400 tons of green fuel annually for local transport and energy-intensive industries.

Israel’s energy mix is dominated by natural gas, which accounts for approximately 70% of electricity generation as of early 2026. This reliance follows the massive offshore discoveries of the Tamar and Leviathan gas fields, which transitioned Israel from an energy importer to a regional exporter.

Israel is positioning itself as a key player in the green hydrogen sector by leveraging its advanced, innovative technology and expanding renewable energy infrastructure. Key developments include the establishment of a “Hydrogen Valley” in the Negev desert, major investment in startups like H2Pro for efficient production, and plans for international exports, with aims to reach significant production volumes by the late 2020s.