







































R. Hajimineh et al. /Future Energy                                                                                          February 2026| Volume 05 | Issue 01| Pages 10-19 

10 

 

 

 

Article 

The expansion of BRICS and its impact on the use of 

renewable energy sources: a case study of hydrogen 

energy 
Rahamat Hajimineh1*, Parisa Sabri2, Ebrahim Rezaei Rad3 

1Department of Law, ET.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran  
2Faculty of World Studies, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran 
3Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran 

A R T I C L E   I N F O 
 

Article history: 
Received 28 August 2025  
Received in revised form 
06 October 2025 
Accepted 20 October 2025 
 
Keywords: 
BRICS, Renewable energy sources,  
Hydrogen energy, New Development Bank,  
Eco-industrial park 
 
*Corresponding author 
Email address:  
Rahmat.Hajimineh@iau.ac.ir 
   
DOI: 10.55670/fpll.fuen.5.1.2 

A B S T R A C T 
 

Considering the increasing energy needs and environmental challenges in the 
world, BRICS members have also put in place a policy of reducing dependence 
on fossil fuels and moving towards more sustainable energy sources. This study 
aims to investigate the role and impact of the expansion of this bloc on the 
development and use of renewable energies, with a special focus on hydrogen 
energy. In this article, the combined method (quantitative and qualitative) and 
the theoretical framework of sustainable development and energy transition 
have been employed. Based on the results, BRICS can play an important role in 
accelerating the development of hydrogen energy by using policies such as 
knowledge and technology exchange between member countries, increasing 
investment in research and development of hydrogen energy, and financing 
hydrogen energy production infrastructure projects by the new BRICS 
Development Bank.  

 
1. Introduction  

Regional organizations have attracted the attention of 
the international community since the end of World War II 
due to their roles in global governance. The hegemony of the 
West led countries from various parts of the world to 
establish organizations that could represent their interests, 
particularly those in the global South, in the division between 
the North and South. One of these organizations is BRICS. The 
BRICS organization, which includes emerging global powers. 
BRICS is actually a group of emerging economic powers of the 
world, namely Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. 
Initially, the name of this group was called BRICS, but after 
South Africa joined, it was changed to BRICS. This 
organization has tried to expand its role in global equations 
by expanding economic cooperation or plans, such as 
removing the US dollar from its equations. The main text of 
the article discusses the structure and policies of BRICS. The 
issue of renewable energy has attracted the attention of the 
world due to the high cost and price fluctuations of fossil fuels, 
environmental problems, and the impact of crises. The 
presence of two energy consumption giants in the world, 
namely China and India, has led to the issue of energy and its 
sustainable supply being given attention. In this regard, China 

and India are seeking to expand the use of renewable energy 
and reduce dependence on fossil fuels. The presence of the 
world's energy giants, namely China, India, Iran, and Russia, 
in this organization has made the role of energy and its 
policies very important in the BRICS organization. This study 
aims to investigate the role and impact of the expansion of this 
bloc on the development and use of renewable energies, with 
a special focus on hydrogen energy. In this article, the 
combined method (quantitative and qualitative) and the 
theoretical framework of sustainable development and 
energy transition have been used. Based on the results, BRICS 
can play an essential role in accelerating the development of 
hydrogen energy by using policies such as knowledge and 
technology exchange between member countries, increasing 
investment in research and development of hydrogen energy, 
and financing hydrogen energy production infrastructure 
projects by the new BRICS Development Bank. Renewable 
energy-led growth hypothesis: New insights from BRICS and 
N-11 economies. It has been argued that although BRICS and 
N-11 economies have experienced tremendous economic 
growth in recent years, the energy required is mainly 
consumed from conventional sources. Therefore, 
policymakers have turned their attention towards promoting 

 

 

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R. Hajimineh et al. /Future Energy                                                                                          February 2026| Volume 05 | Issue 01| Pages 10-19 

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the production and consumption of renewable energy in all 
economic activities. The findings of this paper show that the 
renewable energy-based growth hypothesis is present in 
BRICS countries in AMG and in all quantiles in MMQR, but 
surprisingly, it is absent in N-11 economies using both 
estimates [1].   
Perspective of renewable energy in the BRICS countries: The 
BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South 
Africa) have separately embarked on a transition to 
sustainable energy sources. Khare et al. [2] examined the 
renewable energy networks of the BRICS countries. It 
compares and assesses the potential of different renewable 
energy technologies. The study presents the positive and 
negative impacts of renewable energy on economic 
development, foreign investment, domestic production, 
energy sustainability, and environmental protection across 
all BRICS countries.  
Examining the drivers of renewable energy consumption, 
evidence from BRICS nations: Sachan et al. [3] studied the 
factors affecting renewable energy consumption by analyzing 
data from BRICS countries from 1990 to 2015. Panel quantile 
regression methods and other robustness tests show that the 
environmental policy stringency index and the human 
development index have a significant and positive effect on 
renewable energy consumption. Other variables, including 
carbon dioxide emissions and gross fixed capital formation, 
show a statistically significant and negative relationship with 
renewable energy consumption.  
Role of renewable energy investment and geopolitical risk in 
green finance development, empirical evidence from BRICS 
countries: Renewable energy-led growth hypothesis: New 
insights from BRICS and N-11 economies. Dong et al. [4] 
employed panel data from BRICS countries from 2000 to 
2020 to examine the interactions among economic growth, 
green finance, green credit, renewable energy investment, 
and geopolitical risk (GPR). Furthermore, the findings of the 
paper show that renewable energy adoption in BRICS 
countries is significantly and favorably affected by GPR. 
As studied and reviewed, no article has addressed the use of 
hydrogen energy from various types of renewable energy and 
the impact of BRICS on expanding its use, and this has made 
this article even more important.  

2. Theoretical framework 

Growing environmental concerns and the rising 
economic costs associated with fossil fuel dependence have 
accelerated global attention toward renewable and clean 
energy solutions. This shift aligns with both sustainable 
development objectives and international climate 
commitments. Energy transition represents a long-term, 
strategic process that necessitates tailored approaches, 
incorporating context-specific technologies and policies to 
achieve net-zero emissions while balancing national energy 
security and economic considerations. From an analytical 
perspective, while environmental protection remains a 
central driver of energy transition, the process must also 
account for critical factors such as energy security and 
economic viability—particularly for resource-rich nations, 
including those within the BRICS bloc. At the international 
level, organizations such as the International Energy Agency 
(IEA) and the International Renewable Energy Agency 
(IRENA) have identified six key pillars for successful energy 
transition:   
• Expansion of renewable energy infrastructure   
• Enhancement of energy efficiency and demand-side 

optimization   

• Strategic electrification of energy systems   
• Integration of hydrogen as a clean energy carrier   
• Implementation of carbon capture technologies for fossil-

based systems   
• Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS)   
Energy transition, as a transformative process within energy 
systems, has been examined through various theoretical 
lenses by prominent scholars. Below, we outline the most 
significant theoretical frameworks in this field.   

2.1 Socio-technical systems theory 
Frank Geels and Johan Schot [5] pioneered this 

theoretical approach through their Multi-Level Perspective 
(MLP framework. They conceptualize energy transition as the 
outcome of interactions across three levels:   
• Niche level (emerging technologies)   
• Regime level (dominant energy systems)   
• Landscape level (macro-political, economic, and social 

trends) 

2.2 Governance of energy transitions theory   
Anadon and Nemet [6] emphasized the critical role of 

policy-making and institutional frameworks in accelerating 
or impeding energy transitions. Their work highlights how 
regulatory structures, subsidies, carbon pricing mechanisms, 
and market regulations determine the pace of transition. 

2.3 Path dependency theory  
Pierson and Arthur [7] demonstrated that energy 

systems exhibit inertia due to sunk costs and entrenched 
infrastructure, leading to resistance against rapid shifts. This 
theory explains why some nations lag in adopting renewable 
energy despite global pressures. 

2.4 Political economy of energy transitions  
Timothy Mitchell [8], in his seminal work Carbon 

Democracy (2011), argues that energy systems are not 
merely technological but deeply political. He asserts that a 
successful transition requires transformations in power 
relations and the political structures governing energy. 

2.5 Energy Justice Theory   
Benjamin Sovacool et al. [9] advocate for a socially 

inclusive approach to energy transitions, emphasizing three 
core principles:   
• Distributive justice (equitable allocation of costs and 

benefits)   
• Procedural justice (public participation in decision-

making)   
• Recognition justice (respect for marginalized communities' 

rights).  
Figure 1 illustrates the conceptual model of the study's 
theoretical framework. Within the theoretical framework of 
sustainable development, greenhouse gas mitigation and 
environmental preservation emerge as fundamental 
imperatives, particularly for major emerging economies like 
the BRICS nations. Notably, BRICS countries have 
demonstrated a strong commitment to renewable energy 
advancement, with hydrogen economic development 
receiving particular emphasis as a strategic priority.   The 
convergence of sustainable development principles and 
energy transition strategies provides a robust analytical 
foundation for examining the energy policies of BRICS 
members. These frameworks are particularly relevant given 
the bloc's concerted efforts to harmonize climate objectives 
with energy security and economic growth imperatives, 



R. Hajimineh et al. /Future Energy                                                                                          February 2026| Volume 05 | Issue 01| Pages 10-19 

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making them indispensable to any scholarly examination of 
contemporary energy geopolitics. 

 
Figure 1. Conceptual model of the theoretical framework 

3. Hydrogen energy as an alternative fuel 

The rise of global warming caused by the emission of 
greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide, and the 
emergence of environmental crises, the limitation of fossil 
fuel resources, and the increase in world population growth 
as three sides of a triangle, have required countries to revise 
their energy policies and prevent the collapse of human 
societies under the influence of the reduction of fossil fuel 
resources. Although during the corona virus pandemic, the 
amount of crude oil production in the world decreased 
significantly due to transportation restrictions and reached 
88 million barrels per day according to the Statista report, it 
is still observed that during the last two decades, the amount 
of crude oil production has made a big jump and has reached 
from 74.570 million barrels in 2000 to 96.376 million barrels 
per day in 2023 [10], which is the highest amount in this 
period. Therefore, in order to reduce the global emissions of 
these gases, the process of "decarbonization", which means 
energy transition from fossil fuels to low-carbon energy 
sources, is the only solution that must happen.  

 
 
 

Figure 2. Global primary energy consumption by source [11] 

 

As can be seen in Figure 2, in 2023, the three non-
renewable energy sources of oil, coal and natural gas account 
for the largest amount about 75% of the share of energy 
supply in the world, while renewable energy sources such as 
nuclear, Wind, solar and hydropower have produced nearly 
17% which is only a small percentage of the world's energy. 
This means that the energy transition is in its early stages and 
has not been fully implemented by countries. Among the clean 
and sustainable energy sources, hydrogen is considered a 
suitable alternative to fossil fuels. Hydrogen, represented by 
the chemical symbol H, is a chemical element in the periodic 
table with atomic number 1 and has three isotopes, namely 
protium, deuterium, and tritium [12]. Hydrogen is the most 
abundant chemical substance in the world, which makes up 
approximately 75% of the mass of the world and is found in 
molecular forms such as water and organic compounds. As 
can be seen in Table 1, there are 8 different types of hydrogen, 
among which green hydrogen is the most suitable type for 
energy supply. Although hydrogen is known as the lightest 
element, it has the highest amount of energy per unit weight 
among all fuels [13].  

In the last decade, according to energy reports published 
by Statista [15], many countries such as Australia, Germany, 
Spain, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom have made 
the transition from an economy based on fossil fuels to the 
hydrogen economy. In the list of the top 10 countries that 
have the largest number of green hydrogen production 
facilities around the world, the names of China and Russia are 
also visible. The Russian Federation and China are two 
leading countries in the BRICS group in the field of hydrogen 
policy and projects. In Figure 3, the components that an 
economy transitioning to a hydrogen economy should pay 
attention to are categorized. One of the most essential points 
to pay attention to in the hydrogen energy system is choosing 
the right source for hydrogen production. To achieve a 
sustainable and environmentally friendly hydrogen economic 
system, the required hydrogen energy must be produced 
from clean, abundant, accessible, and affordable sources. As 
can be seen in the diagram, hydrogen production sources can 
be divided into renewable and non-renewable sources or 
fossil fuels.  

 

 
 
 



R. Hajimineh et al. /Future Energy                                                                                          February 2026| Volume 05 | Issue 01| Pages 10-19 

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Hydrogen production from renewable sources such as 
geothermal, water, wind, solar energy, and biomass 
accelerates the decarbonization process and significantly 
reduces environmental pollution.  

Table 1. Different types of hydrogen [14] 

 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Figure 3. The hierarchy of a hydrogen economy 

Hydrogen production systems must be efficient on small 
and large scales and be available in a fixed and portable form. 
According to Pareek et al. [16], there are several paths of 
hydrogen production such as Steam methane reforming, In 
this method, which uses natural gas extracted from the 
earth's crust as an energy source, extracted methane can be 
combined with steam using thermal processes such as steam 
methane conversion and partial oxidation to produce 
hydrogen. Coal gasification, Coal gas can be converted into 
energy, liquid fuel, chemicals and hydrogen in a process 
where coal reacts with hydrogen (H2), oxygen (O2) and steam 
under high pressure and constitutes a mixture of carbon 
monoxide and hydrogen. Electrolysis, In this process, by the 
application of electrical current, water splits into hydrogen 
and oxygen. Photoelectrochemical, in this method, hydrogen 
is produced from two abundant renewable sources such as 
water and sunlight. In this process, two electrodes are used in 
which one electrode acts as an anode for oxygen production 
and the other electrode acts as a cathode for hydrogen 
production. Thermochemical water splitting, 
Thermochemical processes, whose heat can be provided by 
nuclear or solar sources, is a chemical reaction that produces 
hydrogen at high temperatures (500-2000 degrees Celsius). 

In cases where the source of hydrogen production, such 
as solar energy, is not permanent and continuous, a suitable 
storage system is required in hydrogen production. The 
produced hydrogen can be stored in different ways such as 
Chemical hydrides, Compressed gas, Cryogenic liquid and 
Metal hydrides. The main expectations from the hydrogen 
storage system can be specified as high power generation, low 
electricity and energy consumption, zero emission of 
pollutants, availability, effective operation, long life and 
minimal hydrogen waste during discharge and storage [17]. 
Among the most important fields of application of the final 
hydrogen energy produced are chemical industries, 
electricity production, transportation and construction. Since 
the transportation sector in the world remains largely 
dependent on fossil fuels and the share of this sector in the 
global production of carbon dioxide according to Figure 4, 
especially cars, is more than 48% in 2022, one of the 
applications of Hydrogen energy can be considered in the 
transportation sector. By substituting hydrogen fuel instead 
of fossil fuels, the pollutants in the transportation sector will 
be significantly reduced. 

 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 

Grey hydrogen 

Gray hydrogen, the most commonly known 

form of hydrogen production, is created 

using natural gas or methane and methane 

steam reforming, without absorbing 

greenhouse gases. 

Blue hydrogen 

Like gray hydrogen, blue hydrogen is 

produced from natural gas using a steam 

reforming process that combines natural gas 

and heated water in the form of steam. 

Green hydrogen 

Green hydrogen is produced using renewable 

energy sources such as solar or wind energy, 

and this type of hydrogen is produced using 

the electrolysis process that splits water into 

hydrogen and oxygen. 

Black and brown 

hydrogen 

In the production of this type of hydrogen, 

which is the opposite of green hydrogen, 

black coal or brown coal is used, and for this 

reason, the most damage to the environment 

occurs in this type of production process. 

Turquoise 

hydrogen 

Newly entered into this category, turquoise 

hydrogen is made using a process called 

pyrolysis of methane to produce hydrogen 

and solid carbon, and in the future, it may be 

valued as a low-emission hydrogen. 

Pink hydrogen 

Pink hydrogen produced through electrolysis 

with nuclear energy can also be called purple 

hydrogen or red hydrogen. Since CO2 gas is 

not released in the production process of 

pink hydrogen, it is usually considered as 

green hydrogen. 

Yellow hydrogen 

Yellow hydrogen is the term used to produce 

hydrogen through electrolysis using solar 

energy. 

White hydrogen 

White hydrogen, which is a form of natural 

hydrogen, is found in underground deposits 

and is created through the process of 

fracking. But so far there is no suitable 

method to use this hydrogen production. 



R. Hajimineh et al. /Future Energy                                                                                          February 2026| Volume 05 | Issue 01| Pages 10-19 

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Figure 4. CO2 emissions by transportation [18] 

4. Performance of BRICS (old and new mem) in 

hydrogen energy projects  

One of the important issues that has become the concern 
of developed and developing countries is establishing a 
balance between economic growth and environmental issues 
[19]. The increase in greenhouse gas emissions has forced the 
countries that have become the largest consumers of fossil 
fuels due to their economic growth to look for ways to achieve 
the transition to a green and low-carbon economy. Since 
countries with emerging economies are experiencing a stage 
where achieving economic growth and well-being is a priority 
for them over environmental well-being, policies such as 
decarbonization, reducing dependence on fossil fuels, and 
replacing them with clean fuels are more challenging [20]. 
The BRICS member countries, which increased to 10 
countries from 2024, can be considered as an example of 
emerging economies that directly face the priorities related to 
economic growth on the one hand and environmental issues 
on the other hand. Table 2 indicates variables such as the 
amount of carbon dioxide emissions and each country's share 
in global emissions for former BRICS members and countries 
that newly joined this organization in 2024. China, with the 
largest population and the largest amount of carbon dioxide 
production, with 12.667.428.430 billion tons in 2022, is 
ranked first, and Ethiopia ranks tenth among these countries 
with the lowest amount of carbon dioxide production of 
21,106,910 million tons. According to the table, the amount of 
carbon dioxide emission by the main BRICS members, except 
India, first increased and then faced a noticeable decrease. But 
the new members who have joined BRICS have all had an 
increasing trend in carbon dioxide emissions. Changes in the 
amount of carbon dioxide emissions in the BRICS countries 
can be due to the adoption of decarbonization strategies by 
these countries, which will be explained further. One of the 
most important steps of the transition from an economy 
based on fossil fuels to a green hydrogen economy based on 
renewable energy sources is the formulation of long-term and 
short-term policies and strategies in this field.  

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
In this regard, the most important policies and 

agreements of the main BRICS members in the field of 
renewable energy projects, especially hydrogen, will be 
reviewed first, and then the situation of the countries that 
have recently joined BRICS will be examined in relation to 
decarbonization projects and hydrogen policies. As can be 
seen in Figure 5, the percentage of renewable energy 
consumption of BRICS members in China, Brazil, and South 
Africa has maintained its upward trend since 2020. But this 
trend has been accompanied by fluctuations in Russia and 
India, and in 2023, due to the increase in carbon dioxide 
emissions by both countries, they have experienced some 
reduction in the consumption of renewable energies. Among 
BRICS members, it can be seen that Brazil has the highest 
amount of renewable energy consumption, and South Africa 
has the lowest amount. In recent years, the BRICS countries 
have increasingly cooperated in the field of energy and 
decarbonization of their economy. Following the BRICS 
summit in Johannesburg in 2018, the leaders of the five 
countries adopted a joint Johannesburg Declaration, which 
called for full implementation of the Paris Agreement and the 
2030 Agenda, noting that “the five countries will strengthen 
their energy cooperation, indicating a transition to a cleaner, 
sustainable energy system [22,23]. The BRICS countries are 
working together to promote renewable energy sources such 
as wind, solar, and hydropower. For example, in 2019, the 
BRICS Energy Research Cooperation Platform was created to 
expand cooperation in the field of energy research and 
promote the use of renewable energy sources (Communique 
Adopted in the BRICS Energy Ministers Meeting, 2021). BRICS 
members also cooperate closely with international 
organizations such as the United Nations Framework 
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the 
International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) to promote 
sustainable development and climate change. In the meeting 
held by the BRICS members on June 23, 2022, virtually, under 
the chairmanship of the President of China, the leaders 
emphasized the cooperation of the BRICS members in the new 
era of global development [24].  



R. Hajimineh et al. /Future Energy                                                                                          February 2026| Volume 05 | Issue 01| Pages 10-19 

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Table 2. Fossil CO2 emissions in BRICS members [21] 

Country Fossil CO2 Emissions 

(tons) 
Population CO2 emissions per 

capita 

Share of World's CO2 

emissions (%) 

China 

2022 12.667.428.430 1.425.179.569 8.89 34.94 

2021 12.717.655.300 1.426.437.267 8.92 35.08 

2020 12.037.316.110 1.426.106.093 8.44 33.20 

India 

2022 2,693,034,100 1,425,423,212 1.89 7.43 

2021 2,528,133,480 1,414,203,896 1.79 6.97 

2020 2,320,678,660 1,402,617,695 1.65 6.40 

Russia 

2022 1,909,039,310 145,579,899 13.11 5.27 

2021 1,932,695,430 145,836,175 13.25 5.33 

2020 1,789,251,420 146,371,299 12.22 4.94 

Iran 

2022 686,415,730 89,524,246 7.67 1.89 

2021 677,815,330 88,455,488 7.66 1.87 

2020 656,798,170 87,723,443 7.49 1.81 

Saudi 

Arabia 

2022 607,907,500 32,175,352 18.89 1.68 

2021 590,582,460 31,328,375 18.85 1.63 

2020 571,341,980 30,991,207 18.44 1.58 

Brazil 

2022 466,770,410 210,306,415 2.22 1.29 

2021 503,538,680 209,550,294 2.40 1.39 

2020 447,695,430 208,660,842 2.15 1.23 

South 

Africa 

2022 404,974,510 62,378,410 6.49 1.12 

2021 418,965,260 61,502,603 6.81 1.16 

2020 419,865,030 60,562,381 6.93 1.16 

Egypt 

2022 265,961,280 112,618,250 2.36 0.73 

2021 249,642,460 110,957,008 2.25 0.69 

2020 228,165,980 109,315,124 2.09 0.63 

United 

Arab 

Emirates 

2022 218,799,350 10,242,086 21.36 0.60 

2021 214,451,290 9,789,048 21.91 0.59 

2020 201,002,140 9,448,524 21.27 0.55 

Ethiopia 

2022 21,106,910 125,384,287 0.17 0.06 

2021 20,552,520 122,138,588 0.17 0.06 

2020 18,841,280 118,917,671 0.16 0.05 

 

Figure 5. Renewable Energy Consumption of BRICS during 2020-2023 



R. Hajimineh et al. /Future Energy                                                                                          February 2026| Volume 05 | Issue 01| Pages 10-19 

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In this meeting, the latest report of the 
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was 
mentioned, according to which "the triple crisis of climate 
change, biodiversity loss, and pollution is intensifying. There 
is an overview of the decarbonization and hydrogen strategy 
of the 5 main BRICS countries: 

Regarding compliance with the Paris Agreement, Brazil 
announced strategic measures to meet its climate neutrality 
commitments by 2050, including zero illegal deforestation by 
2028, restoring and reforesting 18 million hectares of forests 
by 2030, and encouraging the expansion of the national rail 
network [25]. Policymaking in the field of hydrogen energy 
has always been the focus of the Brazilian government in 
recent years. For example, in the National Energy Plan 2050 
(PNE 2050), which was launched under the Ministry of Mines 
and Energy of Brazil in 2020 [26], hydrogen is also part of the 
Brazilian energy strategy. In the Brazil 2050 Energy Plan, 
published in 2021, the increase in quality, safety, transport 
infrastructure, and incentives for the adoption of innovative 
hydrogen energy technology are also considered. In Brazil's 
three-year national hydrogen plan 2025-2023, the country's 
strategy is defined by three time frames: until 2025, the 
establishment of pilot low-carbon hydrogen power plants 
throughout the country, the establishment of Brazil as a 
competitive low-carbon hydrogen producer, until 2030. and 
integration of low-carbon hydrogen hubs in Brazil by 2035. 

Climate doctrine of the Russian Federation, approved by 
decree of the President of the Russian Federation of 
December 17, 2009. The Russian Federation signed the Paris 
Agreement on climate change in 2015, but only ratified it in 
September 2019. Decarbonization was not a priority as the 
country was able to meet the agreement's requirement to 
reduce its emissions compared to 1990. The first official 
document of the Russian government in the field of hydrogen 
energy was approved in 2020 under the title Roadmap for the 
development of hydrogen energy in Russia until 2024 [27]. 
During the implementation of the road map, in 2021, the 
Russian government approved another document called the 
concept of hydrogen energy development in Russia, which 
outlines the goals, tasks, initiatives, and critical measures for 
the development of hydrogen energy in Russia in the medium 
term until 2024 and long-term until 2035 [28]. 

As reported on behalf of India's Ministry of Environment, 
Forest and Climate Change, India submitted its Long-Term 
Low Emission Development Strategy to the United Nations 
Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 
November 2022 [29]. The Indian government has taken 
measures such as promoting a sustainable lifestyle based on 
conscious consumption and reducing waste, as well as 
policies in the sectors of energy economy, transportation, and 
industry, to combat climate change. The Joint Statement 2022, 
released at the BRICS High Level Meeting on Climate Change, 
noted that India has launched a National Hydrogen Mission to 
produce hydrogen from clean energy sources to create 
alternatives to fossil fuels. The Joint Statement released at the 
BRICS High-Level Meeting on Climate Change in 2022 
reported that China is pursuing proactive national strategies 
to address climate change. Based on exceeding the 2020 
climate action target promised to the international 
community, China further announced a goal and vision to 
strive to peak carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieve 
carbon neutrality by 2060. In 2019, the phrase "promoting 
the implementation of hydrogen charging and refueling 
facilities" was included in China's "Government Work Report" 
for the first time [30] According to the latest report of the 
International Energy Agency in 2021 [31], one of China's 

projects in renewable energy is the Sinopec Green Hydrogen 
Plant, which aims to be the first green hydrogen project of the 
state-owned China Oil Company and produce zero carbon fuel 
from renewable sources. 

South Africa is making progress towards its climate goals 
in response to the Paris Agreement. South Africa established 
a Presidential Climate Commission in 2020, adopted a 
National Strategy, introduced an enhanced mitigation system 
with robust monitoring and assessment, and developed a 
long-term low-emission development strategy [32]. South 
Africa has shown interest in hydrogen energy since 2007. In 
2021, a report on power fuels and green hydrogen was 
published by the country's Council for Scientific and 
Industrial Research (CSIR) [33]. Then, in a speech on 17 
February 2022, the Minister of Higher Education, Science and 
Innovation of the Republic of South Africa announced the 
launch of the Hydrogen Society Roadmap (HSRM). Finally, in 
February 2022, the South African Hydrogen Community 
Roadmap (HSRM) was published by the South African 
government [34]. 

Egypt is one of the five countries that recently joined 
BRICS. Egypt's membership, because it is the largest non-
OPEC oil producer in Africa and the second largest gas 
producer on the continent, can have many advantages for 
BRICS members, especially in the energy sector. As one of the 
leaders of the Arab world, Egypt plans to increase the supply 
of electricity produced from renewable sources to 42% by 
2035 [35], so Egypt's experience in this field should 
accelerate the transfer of clean energy in other BRICS 
member countries. It should be noted that in the last few days, 
on August 15, 2024 and at the time of writing this article, 
Egypt has unveiled a national low-carbon hydrogen strategy 
with the aim of strengthening its green economy and 
achieving climate change goals [36]. As a new member of 
BRICS and Africa's sixth-largest economy, Ethiopia has grown 
at an average of 10 percent annually over the past 15 years 
[37]. Ethiopia has significant potential for energy installations 
and is capable of generating more than 60,000 megawatts 
(MW) of electricity from hydro, wind, solar, and geothermal 
sources [38]. About 90% of Ethiopia's production capacity is 
made up of hydropower, and wind and thermal resources 
make up 8% and 2%, respectively. Ethiopia has formulated its 
Climate Resilience and Green Economy Strategy (CRGE) with 
the goal of keeping greenhouse gas emissions low and 
building climate resilience and achieving middle-income 
status by 2025 [39]. In its energy policies, Ethiopia has also 
paid attention to the production of clean and hydrogen 
energy. In this regard, Ethiopia's Ministry of Water and 
Energy (MoWE) has announced that research on green 
hydrogen production is underway as a solution to meet the 
world's growing energy needs [40]. 

The Islamic Republic of Iran, as a country that has the 
largest oil reserves in the world, with the fourth rank, as well 
as large gas reserves, is considered one of the new BRICS 
members. The potential of different regions of Iran in wind, 
solar, and geothermal energy can provide the basis for the 
development of Iran's energy markets among BRICS 
members. Despite having significant amounts of minerals as 
well as renewable resources, Iran has not been able to invest 
properly in energy production from renewable sources due to 
severe economic sanctions. Saudi Arabia is the most powerful 
new BRICS member as the largest Arab economy with an 
annual GDP of more than one trillion dollars [41]. Despite 
Saudi Arabia's dependence on traditional fossil energy 
markets, the country also has goals in the renewable energy 
sector and aims to provide 50% of its electricity from 



R. Hajimineh et al. /Future Energy                                                                                          February 2026| Volume 05 | Issue 01| Pages 10-19 

17 

 

renewable sources by 2030 [42]. Saudi Arabia is a country 
with a huge potential for clean hydrogen production and, 
therefore, is exploring ways to become the largest supplier of 
blue and green hydrogen in the world and targets clean 
hydrogen production of 2.9 million tons per year. 2030 and 4 
million tons per year by 2035 [43]. 

The United Arab Emirates has joined the BRICS as one of 
the top three energy powers of the Persian Gulf. In addition to 
being one of the top 10 oil producers in the world, the UAE 
recently announced plans to triple the share of renewable 
energy in the economy in line with the UAE Energy Strategy 
2050 [44]. According to its strategy, the United Arab Emirates 
plans to use 44% of renewable energy, 38% of gas, 12% of 
clean coal, and 6% of nuclear energy sources to produce half 
of its electricity by 2050. In relation to hydrogen energy, the 
UAE has set its national hydrogen strategy 2050 to support 
local low-carbon industries and promote the UAE's position 
as one of the largest hydrogen producers by 2031 [45]. 
According to the Global Hydrogen Review 2023 [46], the 
UAE's strategy includes forecasting the production of 1.4 
million tons of hydrogen by 2030, 7.5 million tons by 2040, 
and 15 million tons by 2050, through a combination of 
electrolysis with renewable and nuclear electricity, and 
natural gas, by absorbing, using, and storing carbon. 

5. Role of BRICS in expanding hydrogen energy among 

member countries 

The challenges BRICS members face in achieving clean 
energy, especially hydrogen, can be divided into two 
categories: internal and external. Internal challenges can be 
considered as the presence or absence of policies, potential, 
and infrastructure of countries in the field of hydrogen 
energy. External challenges also include factors influencing a 
country's policy-making, such as sanctions and shocks, as well 
as the establishment of bilateral and multilateral relations 
between BRICS members and the lack of a unified strategy 
among them. Among the former members of BRICS, Brazil is 
the country with the highest consumption of renewable 
energy and can be considered a leader in the transition to a 
hydrogen economy. About the new members who have 
recently joined BRICS, it can be said that Iran is considered a 
country that has not made adequate progress and investment 
in the field of renewable energies despite its great potential 
and resources. In general, because the process of energy 
transfer involves investment, social and political issues that 
are very different in each country, the transition from fossil 
fuels to renewable sources such as hydrogen energy, which 
requires the creation of appropriate infrastructure, is not a 
simple matter. One of the main challenges of BRICS is the 
geographical distance among members, very different socio-
economic and legal models, as well as the competition among 
group members in influencing the energy market. Therefore, 
it seems difficult and almost impossible for BRICS to integrate 
the direction of member countries in obtaining hydrogen 
energy by formulating a general strategy. 

Therefore, according to the existing challenges, the main 
question of the article can be answered here, which is “How 
can BRICS expand the use of renewable energy sources, 
especially hydrogen energy, in the member countries?” The 
three main components of the transition from fossil fuels to 
renewable energies can be categorized as follows: To achieve 
clean hydrogen production, a country must have the three I's: 
investment, infrastructure, and innovation. One of the unique 
features of BRICS that can act as a catalyst to accelerate long-
term and expensive projects is the BRICS Development Bank. 
This bank, which was established in 2015 by 5 main members, 

plays a vital role in financing and supporting the 
infrastructure and development projects of BRICS member 
countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa). The 
role of the BRICS Development Bank in providing its members 
with access to hydrogen energy production can be 
categorized as follows: 
• Funding projects: The BRICS Development Bank can lead 

major projects in this field in member countries by 
providing the necessary financial resources for research 
and development of technologies related to the production, 
storage, and distribution of hydrogen. 

• International cooperation: The BRICS Development Bank 
can act as a bridge between member countries to exchange 
knowledge and technologies related to hydrogen to 
accelerate the development of hydrogen infrastructure. 

• Encouraging private investment: The BRICS Development 
Bank can encourage private sector investment in the field 
of hydrogen energy by providing financial guarantees and 
facilities. 

• Government policy support: The BRICS Development Bank 
can help member countries optimize their national policies 
and strategies to achieve hydrogen energy by providing 
advice on financial, environmental, and industrial policies. 

• Eco-industrial park plan: The BRICS Development Bank, by 
building eco-industrial parks in member countries, can 
help in the production of hydrogen and realize the goals of 
sustainable development in these countries 
simultaneously. 

6. Conclusion 

In recent decades, issues such as the increase in 
environmental pollution caused by non-renewable fuels and 
fossil fuel price fluctuations on the one hand and the benefits 
of renewable energy sources, such as the absence of pollution 
or their permanent availability on the other hand, have 
expanded the desire of many countries in the world to replace 
non-renewable energy sources in their energy sector. Among 
the types of clean renewable fuels, hydrogen energy has 
become a sustainable energy source because it can be 
produced from renewable sources such as water, solar, and 
wind energy, and is considered the best alternative fuel. Since 
the members of BRICS are countries with emerging 
economies, the issue of using renewable energy in the form of 
long-term and short-term policies and strategies has also 
received the attention of this bloc. By analyzing the energy 
policies and carbon dioxide emissions of each of the former 
and new BRICS countries, this article has examined the ways 
to promote and develop hydrogen energy in these countries. 
The findings of the research show that the new members of 
BRICS, such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, Egypt, and the 
United Arab Emirates, have suitable conditions for the 
development of hydrogen energy production, but some of 
them are facing problems in the investment and 
infrastructure sectors. While the former BRICS members have 
taken a little step forward in the transition to clean energy 
under the influence of the Paris Agreement, Brazil, among 
them, can take the leadership role. Despite the fact that the 
current state of hydrogen development is still in its early 
stages and due to the high cost of hydrogen production, 
significant investment in the infrastructure and technology of 
this fuel is necessary to achieve its full potential. The BRICS 
Development Bank can finance the project, encouraging 
private investment as well as building eco-industrial parks to 
accelerate this process. 

 



R. Hajimineh et al. /Future Energy                                                                                          February 2026| Volume 05 | Issue 01| Pages 10-19 

18 

 

Ethical issue 
The authors are aware of and comply with best practices in 
publication ethics, specifically concerning authorship 
(avoidance of guest authorship), dual submission, 
manipulation of figures, competing interests, and compliance 
with policies on research ethics. The authors adhere to 
publication requirements that the submitted work is original 
and has not been published elsewhere in any language. 

Data availability statement 
The manuscript contains all the data. However, more data will 

be available upon request from the corresponding author. 

Conflict of interest 

The authors declare no potential conflict of interest. 

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