Page 5 - DMEA Week 27

DMEA COMMENTARY DMEA

Europe aims to lead the way in

hydrogen revolution

The European Commission’s new strategy leaves room for fossil fuel-based hydrogen

EUROPE THE European Commission has unveiled its “tipping point”, according to the EC, with new
long-awaited hydrogen strategy, which it says gigawatt-scale investments being announced on
WHAT: will “bridge the gap” in decarbonisation efforts a weekly basis.
The European over the coming decades. “Renewable electricity is expected to decar-
Commission has The strategy accepts that in the short to bonise a large share of the EU energy con-
launched a new strategy medium term, some fossil fuel-based hydrogen sumption by 2050, but not all of it,” the EC said.
for developing hydrogen production will be needed to lower emissions. “Hydrogen has a strong potential to bridge some
as an energy source over But its main priority is the large-scale deploy- of this gap, as a vector for renewable energy stor-
the next three decades. ment of carbon-free green hydrogen, produced age, alongside batteries, and transport, ensuring
using renewable power. back-up for seasonal variations and connecting
WHY: European industry already uses some 8mn production locations to more distant demand
The strategy heavily tonnes of hydrogen per year, but almost all of it centres.”
favours green hydrogen, is so-called grey hydrogen, produced from fossil Hydrogen can be particularly useful in
but says fossil fuel- fuels, using methods such as gas reforming and replacing fossil fuels in some carbon-intensive
derived blue hydrogen coal gasification. Such techniques are unabated, industrial processes such as steel or chemical
also has a role to play in meaning they produce some 70-100mn tonnes manufacturing. Europe is well-placed to reap
the short to medium term. of CO2 annually. rewards from a global hydrogen revolution,
A potential hydrogen energy revolution has given its edge in clean hydrogen technologies.
WHAT NEXT: been discussed for decades without significant The EC projects that cumulative investments in
The response from the progress. But according to the EC, the rapid renewable hydrogen could reach €180-470bn
energy industry has been decline in renewable energy costs in recent years, ($203-531bn) by 2050, with a further €3-18bn
mixed, with some calling technological development and the urgent need being invested in low-carbon fossil fuel-based
for a more balanced to combat emissions mean the time is now ripe hydrogen.
approach to different for the fuel’s deployment on a much larger scale. This said, the Commission warned that
hydrogen technologies. Currently, hydrogen accounts for less than 2% “driving hydrogen development past the tip-
of Europe’s energy mix, but the EU predicts that ping point needs critical mass in investment,
it could amount to as much as 13-14% by 2050. an enabling regulatory framework, new lead
Serious interest in hydrogen is reaching a markets, sustained research and innovation into

Week 27 09•July•2020 www. NEWSBASE .com P5