A sort ofOn the road to climate neutrality, Germany relies on the use of hydrogen, But hardly any progress has been made so far. According to a new report, the capacity of green hydrogen and synthetic fuels (ie, electronic fuels) will remain low by 2030. Falko Ueckerdt, head of the PIK National Energy Transition Team at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, said that 80% of the announced 2023 projects have no final investment decision. The project is likely to be delayed at least. “Who sees an industry that is ready to invest, but needs a political framework to invest,” Ueckerdt said.
The hydrogen economy that can be used to store energy is promising. Current Minister of Economy Peter Altmeier Speaking of green hydrogen as the core energy carrier for climate neutrality in the future. Whether it’s SPD, Green Party, FDP or union: In the campaign, everyone is fighting for green hydrogen, the production of this hydrogen does not emit carbon dioxide (CO2)However, there is disagreement on how much gray hydrogen (produced by natural gas and emit CO2) or blue hydrogen (in which CO2 is captured and stored) should be used during the transition period. So far, the Green Party has been stricter, and the FDP has been more open to alternatives. Environmentalists worry that in addition to green hydrogen, the fossil structure will be preserved.
Ueckerdt and ten other authors of the Kopernikus project Ariadne studied how to successfully build a hydrogen economy. The organization will release its report on Tuesday “Despite uncertainty, but still to start: the cornerstone of adaptive hydrogen strategy”, and will be submitted to FAZ in advance. Researchers believe that hydrogen from fossil sources can be used as a temporary bridging technology—with certification, regulation, and corresponding emission pricing. This is the only way to ensure that greenhouse gas emissions are truly reduced, not transferred. The “blue hydrogen bridge” can at least make early changes to hydrogen and more climate-friendly hydrogen.
The price of carbon dioxide must rise further
The profitability of using hydrogen depends to a large extent on the price of carbon dioxide, government subsidies and technological progress, which can reduce costs. Therefore, there are many uncertainties in development, which also makes investment insecure. The shift from natural gas to hydrogen in construction and industry and the shift from kerosene to electronic kerosene in air traffic are not yet competitive. According to the report, it is estimated that by 2030, the price of carbon dioxide alone will reach 100 to 200 Euros per ton. The sharp increase in prices is necessary for changes in industry, construction and transportation. According to this research, regulation and funding for specific technologies are also inevitable.
The author proposes to vigorously develop the supply of green hydrogen fuel and electronic fuel, especially imports. Initially, scarce hydrogen should be concentrated in individual areas. They talked about “applications without regrets”, which excludes direct electrification: therefore, hydrogen should quickly enter the ammonia and steel industries, just like electronic fuels, long-distance air travel and shipping in the petrochemical industry. “There is no situation that can be avoided. Hydrogen and electronic fuels,” said co-author Benjamin Pfluger, head of the Fraunhofer Energy Infrastructure and Geothermal Energy IEG Integrated Energy Infrastructure Department.
The researchers suggest that politicians should pursue an adaptable hydrogen strategy, promote the development of unsafe areas and constantly monitor technological progress. In addition to IEG and PIK, they also work at the Technical University of Darmstadt, the German Aerospace Center and the Paul Scherrer Institute. Once the cost and quantity are clear, the use of hydrogen will gradually expand. For electronic fuels, if the production progresses rapidly, the combustion technology may still change in a short period of time after 2035. However, if the amount is not enough, there is a risk of higher costs.
In all cases, by 2045, hydrogen will account for up to 35% of Germany’s energy. “This shows that hydrogen cannot replace everything centrally,” Ueckerdt said. This decade was initially about expanding local ecological energy. “By 2030, we will achieve ten years of electrification,” Pfluger said. To this end, renewable energy must be tripled, electric vehicles should dominate the new registrations, and about 5 million new heat pumps should be installed.
