IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jrisks/v11y2023i12p212-d1295038.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Enhancing Sustainable Finance through Green Hydrogen Equity Investments: A Multifaceted Risk-Return Analysis

Author

Listed:
  • Cristiana Tudor

    (International Business and Economics Department, The Bucharest University of Economic Studies, 010374 Bucharest, Romania)

Abstract

Amidst the global push for decarbonization, green hydrogen has gained recognition as a versatile and clean energy carrier, prompting the financial sector to introduce specialized investment instruments like Green Hydrogen Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs). Despite the nascent nature of research on green hydrogen portfolio performance, this study examines two key green hydrogen ETFs (i.e., HJEN and HDRO) from April 2021–May 2023, aiming at conducting a multifaceted exploration of their performance, isolating and measuring their sensitivity to the primary market factor, and assessing the capabilities of systematic trading strategies to preserve capital and minimize losses during market downturns. The results spotlight lower returns and higher risks in green hydrogen investments compared to conventional equity (proxied by ETFs offering exposure to developed markets—EFA and emerging markets—EEM) and green energy portfolios (proxied by the ETF ICLN). To comprehensively evaluate performance, an array of risk-adjusted metrics, including Std Sharpe, ES Sharpe, VaR Sharpe, Information ratio, Sortino ratio, Treynor ratio, and various downside risk metrics (historical VaR, modified VaR, Expected Shortfall, loss deviation, downside deviation, and maximum drawdown) are employed, offering a nuanced understanding of the investment landscape. Moreover, single-factor models highlight significant systematic market risk, reflected in notably high beta coefficients, negative alphas, and active premia, underscoring the sensitivity of green hydrogen investments to market fluctuations. Despite these challenges, a silver lining emerges as the study demonstrates the efficacy of implementing straightforward Dual Moving Average Crossover (DMAC) trading strategies. These strategies significantly enhance the risk-return profile of green hydrogen portfolios, offering investors a pathway to align financial and social objectives within their equity portfolios. This research is motivated by the need to provide market players, policymakers, and stakeholders with valuable insights into the benefits and risks associated with green hydrogen investment, considering its potential to reshape the global energy landscape.

Suggested Citation

  • Cristiana Tudor, 2023. "Enhancing Sustainable Finance through Green Hydrogen Equity Investments: A Multifaceted Risk-Return Analysis," Risks, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-22, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jrisks:v:11:y:2023:i:12:p:212-:d:1295038
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9091/11/12/212/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9091/11/12/212/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Hoang, Anh Tuan & Sandro Nižetić, & Olcer, Aykut I. & Ong, Hwai Chyuan & Chen, Wei-Hsin & Chong, Cheng Tung & Thomas, Sabu & Bandh, Suhaib A. & Nguyen, Xuan Phuong, 2021. "Impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on the global energy system and the shift progress to renewable energy: Opportunities, challenges, and policy implications," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    2. Christian L Dunis & Jia Miao, 2005. "Optimal trading frequency for active asset management: Evidence from technical trading rules," Journal of Asset Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 5(5), pages 305-326, February.
    3. Y Ito & S Managi & A Matsuda, 2013. "Performances of socially responsible investment and environmentally friendly funds," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 64(11), pages 1583-1594, November.
    4. Kempf, Alexander & Osthoff, Peer, 2007. "The effect of socially responsible investing on portfolio performance," CFR Working Papers 06-10, University of Cologne, Centre for Financial Research (CFR).
    5. Eero P䴤ri & Mika Vilska, 2014. "Performance of moving average trading strategies over varying stock market conditions: the Finnish evidence," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 46(24), pages 2851-2872, August.
    6. Alexander Kempf & Peer Osthoff, 2007. "The Effect of Socially Responsible Investing on Portfolio Performance," European Financial Management, European Financial Management Association, vol. 13(5), pages 908-922, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Halcoussis, Dennis & Lowenberg, Anton D., 2019. "The effects of the fossil fuel divestment campaign on stock returns," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 669-674.
    2. Saiful Arefeen & Koji Shimada, 2020. "Performance and Resilience of Socially Responsible Investing (SRI) and Conventional Funds during Different Shocks in 2016: Evidence from Japan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-20, January.
    3. Spira, Robin, 2024. "How does ESG rating disagreement influence analyst forecast dispersion?," Junior Management Science (JUMS), Junior Management Science e. V., vol. 9(3), pages 1769-1804.
    4. Alan Gregory & Julie Whittaker, 2013. "Exploring the Valuation of Corporate Social Responsibility—A Comparison of Research Methods," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 116(1), pages 1-20, August.
    5. Cortez, Maria Céu & Andrade, Nuno & Silva, Florinda, 2022. "The environmental and financial performance of green energy investments: European evidence," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 197(C).
    6. Enrico Rubaltelli & Lorella Lotto & Ilana Ritov & Rino Rumiati, 2015. "Moral investing: Psychological motivations and implications," Judgment and Decision Making, Society for Judgment and Decision Making, vol. 10(1), pages 64-75, January.
    7. Ciciretti, Rocco & Dalò, Ambrogio & Dam, Lammertjan, 2023. "The contributions of betas versus characteristics to the ESG premium," Journal of Empirical Finance, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 104-124.
    8. Hirschberger, Markus & Steuer, Ralph E. & Utz, Sebastian & Wimmer, Maximilian, 2012. "Is socially responsible investing just screening? Evidence from mutual funds," SFB 649 Discussion Papers 2012-025, Humboldt University Berlin, Collaborative Research Center 649: Economic Risk.
    9. Amrou Awaysheh & Randall A. Heron & Tod Perry & Jared I. Wilson, 2020. "On the relation between corporate social responsibility and financial performance," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(6), pages 965-987, June.
    10. Bastien Drut, 2010. "Sovereign Bonds and Socially Responsible Investment," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 92(1), pages 131-145, April.
    11. Arno Riedl & Paul Smeets, 2017. "Why Do Investors Hold Socially Responsible Mutual Funds?," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 72(6), pages 2505-2550, December.
    12. Alena Kocmanová & Marie Pavláková Dočekalová & Tomáš Meluzín & Stanislav Škapa, 2020. "Sustainable Investing Model for Decision Makers (Based On Research of Manufacturing Industry in the Czech Republic)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-27, October.
    13. Vanwalleghem, Dieter & Mirowska, Agata, 2020. "The investor that could and would: The effect of proactive personality on sustainable investment choice," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 26(C).
    14. Andreas G. F. Hoepner & Lisa Schopohl, 2020. "State Pension Funds and Corporate Social Responsibility: Do Beneficiaries’ Political Values Influence Funds’ Investment Decisions?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 165(3), pages 489-516, September.
    15. Cauthorn, Thomas & Dumrose, Maurice & Eckert, Julia & Klein, Christian & Zwergel, Bernhard, 2023. "Rating changes revisited: New evidence on short-term ESG momentum," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    16. Guillermo Badía & Luis Ferruz & Maria Céu Cortez, 2021. "The performance of social responsible investing from retail investors' perspective: international evidence," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 26(4), pages 6074-6088, October.
    17. Costanza Torricelli & Beatrice Bertelli, 2022. "ESG screening strategies and portfolio performance: how do they fare in periods of financial distress?," Centro Studi di Banca e Finanza (CEFIN) (Center for Studies in Banking and Finance) 0087, Universita di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Dipartimento di Economia "Marco Biagi".
    18. Riikka Sievänen & Hannu Rita & Bert Scholtens, 2017. "European Pension Funds and Sustainable Development: Trade‐Offs between Finance and Responsibility," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(7), pages 912-926, November.
    19. Sebastian Lobe & Christian Walkshäusl, 2016. "Vice versus virtue investing around the world," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 10(2), pages 303-344, March.
    20. Krüger, Philipp, 2015. "Corporate goodness and shareholder wealth," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 115(2), pages 304-329.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jrisks:v:11:y:2023:i:12:p:212-:d:1295038. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.