MEMBERS FAQ

If the shipping and aviation industries are going to not only achieve, but hopefully exceed, their emission reduction targets – and meet the ambitious goals likely to come with future regulations – transitioning to green hydrogen will be imperative.

Joining the SASHA Coalition provides an opportunity for companies from these sectors to work alongside peers and future-proof their operations by shaping the very regulations they will need to comply with in future.

The SASHA Coalition is facilitated by a dedicated team at climate NGO Opportunity Green. As a member, you’ll be supported by our team, receiving expert policy advice on how to influence hydrogen policy so that aviation and shipping are not overlooked. We also facilitate meetings with hydrogen policymakers to help them understand the importance of hydrogen for aviation and shipping, and we commission up-to-date research on aviation, shipping and hydrogen, ensuring our members stay knowledgeable and informed.

We are also here to identify comms opportunities for our members in print media, on podcasts, through our own channels and at external events, showcasing them as first-movers in the transition to green hydrogen fuels.

If you are interested in joining the SASHA Coalition, contact nuala@opportunitygreen.org.

The frequency of meetings is shaped by members, and we want to make sure that joining the SASHA Coalition does not require a significant resource commitment from our members. We engage members around particular policy interventions at both the EU and UK level, and the frequency of our meetings is led by these interventions – usually no more than once a month.

Our team also takes the lead in identifying opportunities for engagement and delivering coalition activities. We showcase the actions our members are taking towards the development and deployment of green hydrogen and green hydrogen-derived fuels in their industries.

More information on what joining the SASHA Coalition means for its members can be found in our draft ambition statement.

The SASHA Coalition is explicitly policy focused. We need to see policy and regulations put in place that require the use of green hydrogen (and fuels made using it) in shipping and aviation in order for them to become available in sufficient quantities and at a lower price. That's why we're calling for policies and regulations that will make the ambition of transitioning to green hydrogen and green hydrogen-derived fuels a reality.

We recognise that many industry players are already taking the lead by developing projects that will enable them to scale their use of sustainable fuels. However, it's only through policy change that we will see a wholesale shift in both industries moving towards using green hydrogen and green hydrogen-derived fuels.

The coalition's activities also focus on hydrogen regulators, not transport. We see that the shipping and aviation sectors are not present enough when hydrogen decisions are being made. Meanwhile, hydrogen policymakers hear clearly and consistently from other sectors – sectors which ultimately have other, more efficient ways to ensure full decarbonisation. This means it is vital to advocate for a cross-government approach to hydrogen policy, where transport stakeholders are involved in decision-making on future uses of green hydrogen.

For both aviation and shipping, green hydrogen (i.e. hydrogen produced from renewable sources) and carbon dioxide derived from DAC will be needed to produce the sustainable fuels of the future.

In place of the fossil-based fuels used to date, shipping and aviation could pursue a wide-range of low-emission alternatives – from e-kerosene to methanol and ammonia.

While it is likely that a range of fuels will make up the future fuel mix, one thing that these pathways have in common is the need for green hydrogen – and, for some, DAC – to produce them.

The coalition does not take a position on the final fuel used in either aviation or shipping but rather supports the roll out of green hydrogen and DAC which can enable the transition to those fuels.

We recognise the global nature of these sectors, and will engage with partners around the world as part of our work. For now we are focussing on the EU and UK as both are at a crucial point in the development of policies and regulations around the future of green hydrogen and direct air capture – meaning action is needed now to ensure aviation and shipping are reflected.

While we’re starting in these geographies, we hope to expand our geographical focus as we grow. However, we will be closely following any policy that emerges from either the International Maritime Organization or the International Civil Aviation Organization as useful to support the aims of the coalition.

Shipping and aviation face many shared challenges. These include:

• The fuels required for decarbonisation by both sectors are extremely energy-intensive.

• There is a limited role for direct electrification – although this is still important where it’s possible.

• Both are regularly overlooked by policymakers due to their international nature.

While both sectors individually are making the case that hydrogen will be key to their decarbonisation, this message will be heard even louder if unified as one voice. With both sectors coming together, policymakers will understand that this is not just one sector out for itself but a true coalition that is looking to ensure the goals of the Paris Agreement are achieved.

Other industries are already being prioritised by governments for hydrogen and without stronger interventions and stronger policy, the aviation and shipping sectors will be overlooked. See our blog ‘5 reasons why we need another shipping and aviation coalition’ for more information.”

SASHA Coalition meetings will primarily take place virtually, however where in person (or hybrid) we will aim to align meetings with other events to limit the need for additional travel.

Decarbonising aviation and shipping will require cooperation and partnership at both a global and cross-sectoral level. The SASHA Coalition will complement and support other existing coalitions by providing dedicated resources on the specific issue of calling for green hydrogen and direct air capture resource to be used for the decarbonisation of these sectors.

We’re looking forward to working with other coalitions to amplify each other's messages in support of the overarching goal of achieving a just transition to net zero globally.

Success for the SASHA Coalition is the alignment of EU and UK policy on the deployment of green hydrogen and direct air capture with the most efficient use cases, including ensuring policy is developed which will ensure there is enough of both technologies for both sectors to decarbonise in line with the Paris Agreement temperature goals.

The SASHA Coalition can play an instrumental role in influencing EU and UK policy by building a robust, evidence-based narrative on the need for green hydrogen and DAC in enabling aviation and shipping to decarbonise, and making sure it’s consistently heard in spaces where the future uses of green hydrogen and DAC are being discussed.

There is a significant knowledge gap across a number of cross-cutting policy areas around the extent to which green hydrogen and direct air capture (DAC) will contribute to shipping and aviation’s decarbonisation – and the quantities of both green hydrogen and carbon dioxide from DAC that will be needed.

Our approach to engaging decision makers will be centred around presenting an evidence base that demonstrates just that, and ensuring that those making decisions on the future green hydrogen and DAC economy are fully aware of their extensive role in decarbonising aviation and shipping.

Engagement with decision makers will be supplemented by SASHA Coalition communications outputs and support for members to communicate our messages on platforms across the transport and energy sectors.