Will it change the weather? Will wildlife cope?': Europe's rush to build energy projects in Chile might not be as green as it seems

"For generations, Alfonso Campos's family has raised sheep in the grasslands of San Gregorio, a tranquil area in Magallanes province, in the far south of Chile's Patagonia region. Now, he says, his farm will be encircled by three massive containers of ammonia, a desalination plant, a hydrogen plant, gas pipelines and hundreds of wind turbines. If the ammonia leaks, it will poison everything, he says."

"Green hydrogen is made by putting an electric current through water. If the electricity used is renewable, the hydrogen gas produced is described as green. This hydrogen can be combined with carbon to create e-fuels for cars, ships and aeroplanes. It can also be combined with nitrogen to produce green ammonia, which can be used to manufacture fertilisers, industrial chemicals or explosives, replacing those derived from fossil fuels."

"European and British firms are investing heavily in green hydrogen megaprojects in Chile, which will convert thousands of square kilometres into windfarms, solar parks and industrial infrastructure. More than 50 green hydrogen projects have been announced by companies across the country, primarily in the southern region of Patagonia and the Atacama desert in northern Chile. While the developments may seem positive for the world's transition to clean energy, they have been criticised by Chilean researchers, environmentalists and community leaders,"

Large-scale green hydrogen developments in Chile would convert thousands of square kilometres into windfarms, solar parks and associated industrial infrastructure. European and British companies have announced more than 50 projects concentrated in southern Patagonia and the Atacama desert. Local farmers, fishers, researchers and environmentalists warn of threats to wildlife, landscapes and livelihoods, citing risks from ammonia storage, desalination plants, hydrogen facilities, pipelines and noise from hundreds of wind turbines. Green hydrogen is produced by electrolysis using renewable electricity and can yield e-fuels and green ammonia for fertilisers and industrial chemicals. These projects aim to supply global decarbonisation efforts.

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