Green Hydrogen in Europe: Do Strategies Meet Expectations?

The possibility of producing hydrogen as an energy carrier or raw material through electrolysis of water, so-called green hydrogen, has been on the table as a technological option for a long time. However, low conversion efficiency and a dubious climate balance have stood in the way of large-scale application ever since. Within the last three to four years, however, this view has changed significantly. In addition to technological improvements, the increasing speed of the expansion of volatile renewable energies in Europe has also contributed to this, since in principle a nearly climate-neutral utilisation of excess generation is possible through the use of hydrogen as an energy carrier in electrolysis. In addition, hydrogen or products derived from it can be used in a variety of ways as a final energy carrier in all energy-intensive activities: industry, heating and transport. For this reason, green hydrogen production could play a key role in interconnecting all energy consuming sectors (sector coupling), a long-term goal necessary for achieving the decarbonisation of the European economy.