Policy & Socio-Economics

The National Hydrogen Strategy sets out the strategic vision on the role that hydrogen will play in Ireland’s energy system looking to its long-term role as a key component of a zero-carbon economy and the short-term actions that need to be delivered over the coming years to enable the development of the hydrogen sector in Ireland.<br/>The Strategy is being developed for three primary reasons:<br/>1. Decarbonising our economy providing a solution to hard to decarbonise sectors where electrification is not feasible or cost-effective<br/>2. Enhancing our energy security through the development of an indigenous zero carbon renewable fuel which can act as an alternative to the 77% of our energy system which today relies on fossil fuel imports<br/>3. Developing industrial opportunities through the potential development of export markets for renewable hydrogen and other areas such as Sustainable Aviation Fuels<br/>The Strategy considers the needs of the entire hydrogen value chain including production end-uses transportation and storage safety regulation markets innovation and skills.<br/>It also sets out that Ireland will focus its efforts on the scale up and production of renewable ""green"" hydrogen as it supports both our decarbonisation needs and energy security needs given our vast indigenous renewable resources. Renewable hydrogen is a renewable and zero-carbon fuel that can play a key role in the ""difficult-to-decarbonise"" sectors of our economy where other solutions such as direct electrification are not feasible or cost effective.<br/>In the coming years renewable hydrogen is envisioned to play an important role as a zero-emission source of dispatchable flexible electricity as a long duration store of renewable energy in decarbonising industrial processes and as a transport fuel in sectors such as heavy goods transport maritime and aviation. The Strategy will provide clarity for stakeholders on how we expect the hydrogen economy to develop and scale up over the coming decades across the entire value chain.

The Global Hydrogen Review is an annual publication by the International Energy Agency that tracks hydrogen production and demand worldwide as well as progress in critical areas such as infrastructure development trade policy regulation investments and innovation. The report is an output of the Clean Energy Ministerial Hydrogen Initiative and is intended to inform energy sector stakeholders on the status and future prospects of hydrogen while also informing discussions at the Hydrogen Energy Ministerial Meeting organised by Japan. Focusing on hydrogen’s potentially major role in meeting international energy and climate goals the Review aims to help decision makers fine-tune strategies to attract investment and facilitate deployment of hydrogen technologies at the same time as creating demand for hydrogen and hydrogen-based fuels. It compares real-world developments with the stated ambitions of government and industry. This year’s report includes a focus on demand creation for low-emission hydrogen. Global hydrogen use is increasing but demand remains so far concentrated in traditional uses in refining and the chemical industry and mostly met by hydrogen produced from unabated fossil fuels. To meet climate ambitions there is an urgent need to switch hydrogen use in existing applications to low-emission hydrogen and to expand use to new applications in heavy industry or long-distance transport.

For lignite intense regions such as the case of Western Macedonia (WM) the production and utilization of green hydrogen is one of the most viable ways to achieve near zero emissions in sectors like transport chemicals heat and energy production synthetic fuels etc. However the implementation of each technology that is available to a respective sector differs significantly in terms of readiness and the current installation scale of each technology. The goal of this study is the provision of a transition roadmap for a decarbonized future for the WM region through utilizing green hydrogen. The technologies which can take part in this transition are presented along with the implementation purpose of each technology and the reasonable extension that each technology could be adopted in the present context. The WM region’s limited capacity for green hydrogen production leads to certain integration scenarios with regards to the required hydrogen electrolyzer capacities and required power whereas an environmental assessment is also presented for each scenario.

This review article provides a comprehensive analysis of the hydrogen landscape outlining the imperative for enhanced hydrogen production implementation and utilisation. It places the question of how to accelerate hydrogen adoption within the broader context of sustainable energy transitions and international commitments to reduce carbon emissions. It discusses influencing factors and policies for best practices in hydrogen energy application. Through an in-depth exploration of key factors affecting hydrogen implementation this study provides insights into the complex interplay of both technical and logistical factors. It also discusses the challenges of planning constructing infrastructure and overcoming geographical constraints in the transition to hydrogen-based energy systems. The drive to achieve net-zero carbon emissions is contingent on accelerating clean hydrogen development with blue and green hydrogen poised to complement traditional fuels. Public–private partnerships are emerging as catalysts for the commercialisation of hydrogen and fuel-cell technologies fostering hydrogen demonstration projects worldwide. The anticipated integration of clean hydrogen into various sectors in the coming years signifies its importance as a complementary energy source although specific applications across industries remain undefined. The paper provides a good reference on the gradual integration of hydrogen into the energy landscape marking a significant step forward toward a cleaner greener future.

Hydrogen is gaining importance to decarbonize the energy system and tackle the climate crisis. This exploratory study analyzes three focus groups with representatives from relevant organizations in a Northern German region that has unique beneficial characteristics for the transition to a hydrogen economy. Based upon this data (1) a category system of innovation adoption barriers for hydrogen technologies is developed (2) decision levels associated with the barriers are identified (3) detailed insights on how decision levels contribute to the adoption barriers are provided and (4) the barriers are evaluated in terms of their importance. Our analysis adds to existing literature by focusing on short-term barriers and exploring relevant decision levels and their associated adoption barriers. Our main results comprise the following: flaws in the funding system complex approval procedures lack of networks and high costs contribute to hydrogen adoption barriers. The (Sub-)State level is relevant for the uptake of the hydrogen economy. Regional entities have leeway to foster the hydrogen transition especially with respect to the distribution infrastructure. Funding policy technological suitability investment and operating costs and the availability of distribution infrastructure and technical components are highly important adoption barriers that alone can impede the transition to a hydrogen economy.

Hydrogen energy technologies are envisioned to play a critical supporting role in global decarbonisation. While low-carbon hydrogen is primarily targeted for reducing industrial emissions alongside decarbonising parts of the transport sector environmental benefits could also be achieved in the residential context. Presently gasdependent countries such as Japan and the United Kingdom are assessing the feasibility of deploying hydrogen home appliances as part of their national energy strategies. However prospects for the transition will hinge on consumer acceptance alongside an array of other socio-technical factors. To support potential ambitions for large-scale and sustained technology diffusion this study advances a Unified Theory of Domestic Hydrogen Acceptance. Through an integrative comparative literature review targeting hydrogen and domestic energy studies the paper proposes a novel Domestic Hydrogen Acceptance Model (DHAM) which accounts for the cognitive and emotional dimensions of human perceptions. Through this dual interplay the proposed framework can increase the predictive power of hydrogen acceptance models.

Chile abundant in solar and wind energy resources presents significant potential for the production of green hydrogen a promising renewable energy vector. However realizing this potential requires an understanding of the most suitable locations for the installation of green hydrogen industries. This study proposes a quantitative methodology that identifies and ranks potential public lands for industrial use based on a range of technical parameters (such as solar and wind availability) and socio-environmental considerations (including land use restrictions and population density). The results reveal optimal locations that can facilitate informed sustainable decision-making for large-scale green hydrogen implementation in Chile. While this methodology does not replace project-specific technical or environmental impact studies it provides a flexible general classification to guide initial site selection. Notably this approach can be applied to other regions worldwide with abundant solar and wind resources such as Australia and Northern Africa promoting more effective and sustainable global decision-making for green hydrogen production.

Green hydrogen is a promising alternative to fossil fuels. However current production capacities for electrolyzers and green hydrogen are not in line with national political goals and projected demand. Considering these issues we conducted semi-structured interviews to determine the narratives of different stakeholders during this transformation as well as challenges and opportunities for the green hydrogen value chain. We interviewed eight experts with different roles along the green hydrogen value chain ranging from producers and consumers of green hydrogen to electrolyzer manufacturers and consultants as well as experts from the political sphere. Most experts see the government as necessary for scale-up by setting national capacity targets policy support and providing subsidies. However the experts also accuse the governments of delaying development through overregulation and long implementation times for regulations. The main challenges that were identified are the current lack of renewable electricity and demand for green hydrogen. Demand for green hydrogen is influenced by supply costs which partly depend on prices for electrolyzers. However one key takeaway of the interviews is the skeptical assessments by the experts on the currently discussed estimates for price reduction potential of electrolyzers. While demand supply and prices are all factors that influence each other they result in feedback loops in investment decisions for the energy and manufacturing industries. A second key takeaway is that according to the experts current investment decisions in new production capacities are not solely dependent on short-term financial gains but also based on expected first mover advantages. These include experience and market share which are seen as factors for opportunities for future financial gains. Summarized the results present several challenges and opportunities for green hydrogen and electrolyzers and how to address them effectively. These insights contribute to a deeper understanding of the dynamics of the emerging green hydrogen value chain.

This paper explores the potential for hydrogen energy to become a future trend in Saudi Arabia energy industry. With the emergence of hydrogen as a promising clean energy source there has been growing interest and investment in this area globally. This study investigated whether the country is likely to pursue this trend given its current energy mix and policies. A study was conducted to provide an overview of the global trends and best practices in hydrogen energy adoption and investment. The outcomes of the analysis show that the country current energy mix has the potential to produce green hydrogen energy. The evaluation of its readiness and potential obstacles for hydrogen energy adoption has been drowned and there are several challenges that need to be addressed. The study outcomes also conclude with policy implications and recommendations for the country energy industry.

Hard-to-electrify sectors will require renewable fuels to facilitate the green transition in the future. Therefore it is crucial to identify promising production locations while taking into account the local biomass resources variable renewable energy sources and the synergies between sectors. In this study investments and dispatch operations are optimised of a large catalogue of renewable fuel production technologies in the open-source software SpineOpt and this is soft-linked to the comprehensive energy system model Balmorel. We analyse future production pathways by comparing various levels of hydrogen infrastructure including large-scale hydrogen storage and assess system impacts. The results indicate that methanol may provide synergies in its multipurpose use as an early (2030–2040) shipping fuel and later as an aviation fuel through further refining if ammonia becomes more competitive (2050). We furthermore show that a hydrogen infrastructure increases the competitiveness of non-flexible hydrogen-based fuel production technologies. Offshore electrolysis hubs decrease energy system impacts in scenarios with 105 TWh of Nordic hydrogen export. However hydrogen export scenarios are much costlier compared to scenarios with no export unless a high hydrogen price is received. Finally we find that emission taxes in the range of 250–265 e/tCO2 will be necessary for renewable fuels to become competitive.

Focusing on technological innovation and convergence is crucial for utilizing hydrogen energy an emerging infrastructure area. This research paper analyzes the extent of technological capabilities in a region that could accelerate the occurrence of technological convergence in the fields related to hydrogen energy through the use of triadic patents their citation information and their regional information. The results of the Bayesian spatial model indicate that the active exchange of diverse original technologies could facilitate technological convergence in the region. On the other hand it is difficult to achieve regional convergence with regard to radical technology. The findings could shed light on the establishment of an R&D strategy for hydrogen technologies. This study could contribute to the dissemination and utilization of hydrogen technologies for sustainable industrial development.

In response to the urgent need to mitigate climate change via net-zero targets many nations are renewing their interest in clean hydrogen as a net-zero energy carrier. Although clean hydrogen can be directly used in various sectors for deep decarbonization the relatively low energy density and high production costs have raised doubts as to whether clean hydrogen development is worthwhile. Here we improve on the GCAM model by including a more comprehensive and detailed representation of clean hydrogen production distribution and demand in all sectors of the global economy and simulate 25 scenarios to explore the costeffectiveness of integrating clean hydrogen into the global energy system. We show that due to costly technical obstacles clean hydrogen can only provide 3%–9% of the 2050 global final energy use. Nevertheless clean hydrogen deployment can reduce overall energy decarbonization costs by 15%–22% mainly via powering ‘‘hard-to-electrify’’ sectors that would otherwise face high decarbonization expenditures. Our work provides practical references for cost-effective clean hydrogen planning.

To situate its low-carbon transition process in longer-term real-world business contexts this article makes a longitudinal analysis of the UK petrochemical industry focusing on changing economic and socio-political environments and company strategies in the last 50 years. Using the Triple Embeddedness Framework the paper identifies two parallel and conflicting reorientation processes in the UK petrochemical industry. The first one which started in the 1970s and is driven by long-standing competitiveness problems led to retrenchment in the 1980s exit of incumbent companies (BP Shell ICI) and the entry of new firms (INEOS SABIC) in the 1990s and 2000s and diversification into upstream fossil fuel production and ethane imports in the 2010s. The second reorientation process which started in the 2010s is driven by climate change considerations and has led petrochemical firms to reluctantly explore low-carbon alternatives. Despite advancing ambitious visions and plans companies are weakly committed to low-carbon reorientation because this is layered on top of and conflicts with the deeper economically-motivated reorientation process. The paper further concludes that the industry's low-carbon plans and visions are partial because they focus more on some innovations (hydrogen-as-fuel CCS) than on other innovations (recycling bio-feedstocks synthetic feedstocks). Despite exploring alternatives firms also use political resistance strategies to hamper and delay deeper low-carbon reorientation

A key building block of the European Green Deal is the development of a hydrogen commodity market which requires a suitable hydrogen market design and the timely introduction of related policy measures. Using exploratory interviews with five expert groups we contribute to this novel research field by outlining the core market design criteria and proposing suitable regulations for the future European hydrogen market. We identify detailed recommendations along three core market design focus areas: Market development policy measures infrastructure regulations as well as hydrogen and certificate trading. Our findings provide an across-industry view of current policy-related key challenges in the hydrogen commodity market development and mitigation approaches. We therefore support policymakers within the EU in the ongoing detailing of their regulatory hydrogen and green energy packages. Further we promote hydrogen market development by assisting current and future industry players in finding a common understanding of the future hydrogen market design.

Hydrogen is receiving increasing attention to decarbonize hard-to-abate sectors such as carbon intensive industries and long-distance transport with the ultimate goal of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to net-zero. However limited knowledge exists so far on the socio-economic and environmental impacts for countries moving towards green hydrogen. Here we analyse the macroeconomic impacts both direct and indirect in terms of GDP growth employment generation and GHG emissions of green hydrogen production in Switzerland. The results are first presented in gross terms for the construction and operation of a new green hydrogen industry considering that all the produced hydrogen is allocated to passenger cars (final demand). We find that for each kg of green hydrogen produced the operational phase creates 6.0 5.9 and 9.5 times more GDP employment and GHG emissions respectively compared to the construction phase (all values in gross terms). Additionally the net impacts are calculated by assuming replacement of diesel by green hydrogen as fuel for passenger cars. We find that green hydrogen contributes to a higher GDP and employment compared to diesel while reducing GHG emissions. For instance in all the three cases namely ‘Equal Cost’ ‘Equal Energy’ and ‘Equal Service’ we find that a green hydrogen industry generates around 106% 28% and 45% higher GDP respectively; 163% 43% and 65% more full-time equivalent jobs respectively; and finally 45% 18% and 29% lower GHG emissions respectively compared to diesel and other industries. Finally the methodology developed in this study can be extended to other countries using country-specific data.

Welcome to our Future Energy Scenarios. These scenarios which stimulate debate and help inform the decisions that will shape our energy future have never been more important – especially when you consider the extent to which the energy landscape is being transformed.

The measures needed to limit global warming pose a particular challenge to current fossil fuel exporters who must not only decarbonise their local energy systems but also compensate for the expected decline in fossil fuel revenues. One possibility is seen in the export of green hydrogen. Using Algeria as a case study this paper analyses how different levels of ambition in hydrogen exports energy efficiency and fuel switching affect the costoptimal expansion of the power sector for a given overall emissions reduction path. Despite falling costs for photovoltaics and wind turbines the results indicate that in countries with very low natural gas prices such as Algeria a fully renewable electricity system by 2050 is unlikely without appropriate policy measures. The expansion of renewable energy should therefore start early given the high annual growth rates required which will be reinforced by additional green hydrogen exports. In parallel energy efficiency is a key factor as it directly mitigates CO2 emissions from fossil fuels and reduces domestic electricity demand which could instead be used for hydrogen production. Integrating electrolysers into the power system could potentially help to reduce specific costs through load shifting. Overall it seems advisable to analyse hydrogen exports together with local decarbonisation in order to better understand their interactions and to reduce emissions as efficiently as possible. These results and the methodology could be transferred to other countries that want to become green hydrogen exporters in the future and are therefore a useful addition for researchers and policy makers.

The global trend towards decarbonization and the demand for energy security have put hydrogen energy into the spotlight of industry politics and societies. Numerous governments worldwide are adopting policies and strategies to facilitate the transition towards hydrogen-based economies. To assess the determinants of such transition this study presents a comparative analysis of the technological innovation systems (TISs) for hydrogen technologies in Germany and South Korea both recognized as global front-runners in advancing and implementing hydrogen-based solutions. By providing a multi-dimensional assessment of pathways to the hydrogen economy our analysis introduces two novel and crucial elements to the TIS analysis: (i) We integrate the concept of ‘quality infrastructure’ given the relevance of safety and quality assurance for technology adoption and social acceptance and (ii) we emphasize the social perspective within the hydrogen TIS. To this end we conducted 24 semi-structured expert interviews applying qualitative open coding to analyze the data. Our results indicate that the hydrogen TISs in both countries have undergone significant developments across various dimensions. However several barriers still hinder the further realization of a hydrogen economy. Based on our findings we propose policy implications that can facilitate informed policy decisions for a successful hydrogen transition.

Legislation regulating the sustainability requirements for hydrogen technologies relies more and more on life cycle assessments (LCAs). Due to different scopes and development processes different pieces of EU legislation refer to different LCA methodologies with differences in the way multifunctional processes (i.e. co-productions recycling and energy recovery) are treated. These inconsistencies arise because incentive mechanisms are not standardized across sectors even though the end product hydrogen remains the same. The goal of this paper is to compare the life-cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of hydrogen from four production pathways depending on the multifunctional approach prescribed by the different EU policies (e.g. using substitution or allocation). The study reveals a large variation in the LCA results. For instance the life-cycle GHG emissions of hydrogen co-produced with methanol is found to vary from 1 kg CO2-equivalent/kg H2 (when mass allocation is considered) to 11 kg CO2-equivalent/kg H2 (when economic allocation is used). These inconsistencies could affect the market (e.g. hydrogen from a certain pathway could be considered sustainable or unsustainable depending on the approach) and the environment (e.g. pathways that do not lead to a global emission reduction could be promoted). To mitigate these potential negative effects we urge for harmonized and strict guidelines to assess the life-cycle GHG emissions of hydrogen technologies in an EU policy context. Harmonization should cover international policies too to avoid the same risks when hydrogen will be traded based on its GHG emissions. The appropriate methodological approach for each production pathway should be chosen by policymakers in collaboration with the LCA community and stakeholders from the industry based on the potential market and environmental consequences of such choice.

The decarbonization of the energy sector has been a subject of research and of political discussions for several decades gaining significant attention in the last years. It is commonly acknowledged that the most obvious way to achieve decarbonization is the use of renewable energy sources. Within the context of the energy sector decarbonization many mainly industrialized countries recently started developing national plans to establish a hydrogen-based economy in the very near future. The plans for green hydrogen initially try to (a) target sectors that are difficult to decarbonize and (b) address issues related to the storage and transportation of CO2-free energy. To achieve almost complete decarbonization electric power must be generated exclusively from renewable sources. In so-called Power-to-X (PtX) technologies green hydrogen is generated from electricity and subsequently converted to another energy carrier which can be further stored transported and used. In PtX X stands for example for liquid hydrogen methanol or ammonia. The challenges associated with decarbonization include those associated with (a) the expansion of renewable energies (e.g. high capital demand political and social issues) (b) the production transportation and storage of hydrogen and the energy carriers denoted by X in PtX (e.g. high cost and low overall efficiency) and (c) the expected significant increase in the demand for electrical energy. The paper discusses whether and under which conditions the current national and international hydrogen plans of many industrialized countries could lead to a maximization of decarbonization in the world. It concludes that in general as long as the conditions for generating large excess amounts of green electricity are not met the quick establishment of a hydrogen economy could not only be very expensive but also counterproductive to the worldwide decarbonization efforts.

Europe’s electricity transmission expansion suffers many delays despite its significance for integrating renewable electricity. A hydrogen network reusing the existing gas network could not only help to supply the demand for low-emission fuels but could also balance variations in wind and solar energies across the continent and thus avoid power grid expansion. Our investigation varies the allowed expansion of electricity and hydrogen grids in net-zero CO2 scenarios for a sector-coupled European energy system capturing transmission bottlenecks renewable supply and demand variability and pipeline retrofitting and geological storage potentials. We find that a hydrogen network connecting regions with low-cost and abundant renewable potentials to demand centers electrofuel production and cavern storage sites reduces system costs by up to 26 bnV/a (3.4%). Although expanding both networks together can achieve the largest cost reductions by 9.9% the expansion of neither is essential for a net-zero system as long as higher costs can be accepted and flexibility options allow managing transmission bottlenecks.

This article presents the results of a comparative scenario analysis of the “green hydrogen” development pathways in Poland and the EU in the 2050 perspective. We prepared the scenarios by linking three models: two sectoral models for the power and transport sectors and a Computable General Equilibrium model (d-Place). The basic precondition for the large-scale use of hydrogen in both Poland and in European Union countries is the pursuit of ambitious greenhouse gas reduction targets. The EU plans indicate that the main source of hydrogen will be renewable energy (RES). “Green hydrogen” is seen as one of the main methods with which to balance energy supply from intermittent RES such as solar and wind. The questions that arise concern the amount of hydrogen required to meet the energy needs in Poland and Europe in decarbonized sectors of the economy and to what extent can demand be covered by internal production. In the article we estimated the potential of the production of “green hydrogen” derived from electrolysis for different scenarios of the development of the electricity sector in Poland and the EU. For 2050 it ranges from 76 to 206 PJ/y (Poland) and from 4449 to 5985 PJ/y (EU+). The role of hydrogen as an energy storage was also emphasized highlighting its use in the process of stabilizing the electric power system. Hydrogen usage in the energy sector is projected to range from 67 to 76 PJ/y for Poland and from 1066 to 1601 PJ/y for EU+ by 2050. Depending on the scenario this implies that between 25% and 35% of green hydrogen will be used in the power sector as a long-term energy storage.

Electrification of the transportation sector is one of the main drivers in the decarbonization of energy and mobility systems and it is a way to ensure security of energy supply. Public bus fleets can assist in achieving fast reduction of CO2 emissions. This article provides an analysis of a unique real-world dataset to support decision makers in the decarbonization of public fleets and interlink it with the social acceptance of drivers. Data was collected from 21 fuel cell and electric buses. The tank-to-wheel efficiency results of fuel cell electric buses (FCEB) are much lower than that of battery electric buses (BEB) and there is a higher variation in consumption for BEBs compared to FCEBs. Both technologies permit a strong reduction in CO2 emissions compared to conventional buses. There is a high level of acceptance of drivers which are likely to support the transition towards zero-emission buses introduced by the management.

In response to the objective of fully attaining carbon neutrality by 2060 people from all walks of life are pursuing low-carbon transformation. Due to the high water cut in the middle and late phases of development the oilfield’s energy consumption will be quite high and the rise in energy consumption will lead to an increase in carbon emission at the same time. As a result the traditional energy model is incapable of meeting the energy consumption requirement of high water cut oilfields in their middle and later phases of development. The present wind hydrogen coupling energy system was researched and coupled with the classic dispersed oilfield energy system to produce energy for the oilfields in this study. This study compares four future energy system models to existing ones computes the energy cost and net present value of an oilfield in Northwest China and proposes a set of economic evaluation tools for oilfield energy systems. The study’s findings indicate that scenario four provides the most economic and environmental benefits. This scenario effectively addresses the issue of high energy consumption associated with aging oilfields at this point significantly reduces carbon emissions absorbs renewable energy locally and reduces the burden on the power grid system. Finally sensitivity analysis is utilized to determine the effect of wind speed electricity cost and oilfield gas output on the system’s economic performance. The results indicate that the system developed in this study can be applied to other oilfields.

Polygeneration energy systems (PES) have the potential to provide a flexible high-efficiency and low-emissions alternative for power generation and chemical synthesis from fossil fuels. This study aims to assess the economic value of fossil-fuel PES which rely on hydrogen as an intermediate product. Our analysis focuses on a representative PES configuration that uses coal as the primary energy input and produces electricity and fertilizer as end-products. We derive a series of propositions that assess the cost competitiveness of the modeled PES under both static and flexible operation modes. The result is a set of metrics that quantify the levelized cost of hydrogen the unit profit-margin of PES and the real option values of ‘diversification’ and ‘flexibility’ embedded in PES. These metrics are subsequently applied to assess the economics of Hydrogen Energy California (HECA) a PES currently under development in California. Under our technical and economic assumptions HECA’s levelized cost of hydrogen is estimated at 1.373 $/kgh. The profitability of HECA as a static PES increases in the share of hydrogen converted to fertilizer rather than electricity. However when configured as a flexible PES HECA almost breaks even on a pre-tax basis. Diversification and flexibility are valuable for HECA when polygeneration is compared to static monogeneration of electricity but these two real options have no value when comparing polygeneration to static monogeneration of fertilizers.

This paper analyzes the economic potential of Power-to-Gas (PtG) as a source of flexibility in electricity markets with both high shares of renewables and high external demand for hydrogen. The contribution of this paper is that it develops and applies a short-term (hourly) partial equilibrium model of integrated electricity and hydrogen markets including markets for green certificates while using a welfare-economic framework to assess the market outcomes. We find that strongly increasing the share of renewable electricity makes electricity prices much more volatile while the presence of PtG reduces this price volatility. However a large demand for hydrogen from outside the electricity sector reduces the impact of PtG on the volatility of electricity prices. In a scenario with a high external hydrogen demand PtG can deliver positive benefits for some groups as it can provide hydrogen at lower costs than Steam Methane Reforming (SMR) during hours when electricity prices are low but these positive welfare effects are outweighed by the fixed costs of PtG assets plus the costs of replacing a less expensive energy carrier (natural gas) with a more expensive one (hydrogen). Investments in PtG are profitable from a social-welfare perspective when the induced reduction in carbon emissions is valued at 150–750 euro/ton. Hence at lower carbon prices PtG can only become a valuable provider of flexibility when installation costs are significantly reduced and conversion efficiencies of electrolysers increased.

This US Hydrogen Road Map was created through the collaboration of executives and technical industry experts in hydrogen across a broad range of applications and sectors who are committed to improving the understanding of hydrogen and how to increase its adoption across many sectors of the economy. For the first time this coalition of industry leaders has convened to develop a targeted holistic approach for expanding the use of hydrogen as an energy carrier. Due to great variation among national and state policies infrastructure needs and community interests each state and region of the US will likely have its own specific policies and road maps for implementing hydrogen infrastructure. The West Coast for example has traditionally had progressive policies on reducing transportation emissions so it is likely that hydrogen will scale sooner for vehicles in this region especially California. Experts also acknowledge the role that hydrogen in combination with renewables can play in supplying microgrid-type power to communities with the highest risk of shut-offs during seasonal weather-related issues such as high temperatures or wildfire-related power interruptions. Some states have emphasized the need to decarbonize the gas grid so blending hydrogen in natural gas networks and using hydrogen as feedstock may advance more quickly in these regions. Other states are interested in hydrogen as a means to address power grid issues enable the deployment of renewables and support competitive nuclear power. The launch of hydrogen technologies in some states or regions will help to scale hydrogen in various applications across the country laying the foundation for energy security grid resiliency economic growth and the reduction of both greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and air pollutants. This report outlines the benefits and impact of fuel cell technologies and hydrogen as a viable solution to the energy challenges facing the US through 2030 and beyond. As such it can serve as the latest comprehensive industry-driven national road map to accelerate and scale up hydrogen in the economy across North America

This week on the show the team take a pause to review the current state of hydrogen and fuel cell affairs globally whilst taking time to go over all the excellent questions that our listeners have kindly shared with us over the last few months. We cover carbon capture the green new deal synthetic fuels hydrogenspiders green hydrogen in Australia and many more themes this week so don’t miss this episode!

The podcast can be found on their website

The role of hydrogen in future energy systems is widely acknowledged: from fuel for difficult-to-decarbonize applications to feedstock for chemicals synthesis to energy storage for high penetration of undispatchable renewable electricity. While several literature studies investigate such energy systems the details of how electrolysers and renewable technologies optimally behave and interact remain an open question. With this work we study the interplay between (i) renewable electricity generation through wind and solar (ii) electricity storage in batteries (iii) electricity storage via Power-to-H2 and (iv) hydrogen commodity demand. We do so by designing a cost-optimal zero-emission energy system and use the Netherlands as a case study in a mixed integer linear model with hourly resolution for a time horizon of one year. To account for the significant role of wind we also provide an elaborate approach to model broad portfolios of wind turbines. The results show that if electrolyzers can operate flexibly batteries and power-to-H2-to-power are complementary with the latter using renewable power peaks and the former using lower renewable power outputs. If the operating modes of the power-to-H2-to-power system are limited - artificially or technically - the competitive advantage over batteries decreases. The preference of electrolyzers for power peaks also leads to an increase in renewable energy utilization for increased levels of operation flexibility highlighting the importance of capturing this feature both from a technical and a modeling perspective. When adding a commodity hydrogen demand the amount of hydrogen converted to electricity decreases hence decreasing its role as electricity storage medium.

Steam methane reforming (SMR) process is regarded as a viable option to satisfy the growing demand for hydrogen mainly because of its capability for the mass production of hydrogen and the maturity of the technology. In this study an economically optimal process configuration of SMR is proposed by investigating six scenarios with different design and operating conditions including CO₂ emission permits and CO₂ capture and sale. Of the six scenarios the process configuration involving CO₂ capture and sale is the most economical with an H₂ production cost of $1.80/kg-H₂. A wide range of economic analyses is performed to identify the tradeoffs and cost drivers of the SMR process in the economically optimal scenario. Depending on the CO₂ selling price and the CO₂ capture cost the economic feasibility of the SMR-based H₂ production process can be further improved.

This paper aims to review existing energy-sector and hydrogen-energy-related legal policy and strategy documents in the ECOWAS region. To achieve this aim current renewable-energyrelated laws acts of parliament executive orders presidential decrees administrative orders and memoranda were analyzed. The study shows that ECOWAS countries have strived to design consistent legal instruments regarding renewable energy in developing comprehensive legislation and bylaws to consolidate it and to encourage investments in renewable energy. Despite all these countries having a legislative basis for regulating renewable energy there are still weaknesses that revolve around the law and policy regarding its possible application in green hydrogen production and use. The central conclusion of this review paper is that ECOWAS member states presently have no official hydrogen policies nor bylaws in place. The hydrogen rise presents a challenge and opportunity for members to play an important role in the fast-growing global hydrogen market. Therefore these countries need to reform their regulatory frameworks and align their policies by introducing green hydrogen production in order to accomplish their green economy transition for the future and to boost the continent’s sustainable development.

In the debate on the decarbonisation of heat renewable electricity tends to play a much more dominant role than green gases despite the potential advantages of gas in terms of utilising existing transportation networks and end-use appliances. Informed comparisons are hampered by information asymmetry; the renewable electricity has seen a huge grid level deployment whereas low-carbon hydrogen or bio-methane have been limited to some small stand-alone trials. This paper explores the regulatory and commercial challenges of implementing the first UK neighbourhood level 100% low-carbon hydrogen demonstration project. We draw on existing literature and action research to identify the key practical barriers currently hindering the ability of strategically important actors to accelerate the substitution of natural gas with low carbon hydrogen in local gas networks. This paper adds much needed contextual depth to existing generic and theoretical understandings of low-carbon hydrogen for heat transition feasibility. The learnings from pilot projects about the exclusion of hydrogen calorific value from the Local Distribution Zone calorific value calculation Special Purpose Vehicle companies holding of liability and future costs to consumers need to be quickly transferred into resilient operational practice or gas repurposing projects will continue to be less desirable than electrification using existing regulations and with more rapid delivery

From an evaluation of the GB housing stock it is clear that a mosaic of low carbon heating technologies will be needed to reach net zero. While heat pumps are an important component of this mix our analysis shows that it is likely to be impractical to heat many GB homes with heat pumps only. A combination of lack of exterior space and/or the thermal properties of the building fabric mean that a heat pump is not capable of meeting the space heating requirement of 8 to 12m homes (or 37% to 54% of the 22.7m homes assessed in this report) or can do so only through the installation of highly disruptive and intrusive measures such as solid wall insulation. Hybrid heat pumps that are designed to optimise efficiency of the system do not have the same requirements of a heat pump and may be a suitable solution for some of these homes. This is likely to mean that decarbonised gas networks are therefore critical to delivery of net zero. 3 to 4m homes1 (or 14% to 18% of homes assessed in our analysis) could be made suitable for heat pump retrofit through energy efficiency measures such as cavity wall insulation. For 7 to 10m homes there are no limiting factors and they require minimal/no upgrade requirements to be made heat pump-ready. Nevertheless given firstly the levels of disruption to the floors and interiors of homes caused by the installation of heat pumps and secondly the cost and disruption associated with the requirement to significantly upgrade the electricity distribution networks to cope with large numbers of heat pumps operating at peak demand times - combined with the availability of a decarbonised gas network which requires a simple like-for-like boiler replacement - is likely to mean that many of these ‘swing’ properties will be better served through a gas based technology such as hydrogen (particularly when consumer choice is factored in) or a hybrid system. A recent trial run in winter 2018-19 by the Energy System Catapult revealed that all participants were reluctant to make expensive investments to improve the energy efficiency of their homes just to enhance the performance of their heat pump. They were more interested in less costly upgrades and tangible benefits such as lower bills or greater comfort. This means that renewable gases including hydrogen as heating fuels are a crucial component of the journey to net zero and the UK’s hydrogen ambitions should be reflective of this. The analysis presented in this paper focuses on the external fabric of the buildings further analysis should be undertaken to consider the internal system changes that would be required for heat pumps and hydrogen boilers for example BEIS Domestic Heat Distribution Systems: Gathering Report from February 2021 which considers the suitability of radiators for the low carbon transition.

Slovak Republic is a member of the European Union and is a part of the European energy market. Although Slovakia contributes only marginally to global emissions there is an effort to meet obligations from the Paris climate agreement to reduce greenhouse gases. As in many countries power industry emissions dominate Slovakia’s emissions output but are partly affected and lowered by the share of nuclear energy. The transition from fossil fuels to renewables is supported by the government and practical steps have been taken to promote the wide use of renewable resources such as biomass or solar energy. Another step in this transition process is the support of new technologies that use hydrogen as the primary energy source. The European Union widely supports this effort and is looking for possible sources for hydrogen generation. One of the main renewable resources is hydropower which is already used in the Slovak Republic. This article presents the current situation of the energy market in Slovakia and possible developments for future hydrogen generation.

In this study we investigated the cost-effectiveness of four alternatives: Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) methanol green hydrogen and green ammonia for the case of top 20 most frequently calling ships to Irish ports in 2019 through the Net Present Value (NPV) methodology incorporating the benefits incurred through saved external carbon tax and conventional fuel costs. LNG had the highest NPV (€6166 million) followed by methanol (€1705 million) and green hydrogen (€319 million). Green ammonia utilisation (as a hydrogen carrier) looks inviable due to higher operational costs resulting from its excessive consumption (i.e. losses) during the cracking and purifying processes and its lower net calorific value. Green hydrogen remains the best option to meet future decarbonisation targets although a further reduction in its current fuel price (by 60%) or a significant increment in the proposed carbon tax rate (by 275%) will be required to improve its cost-competitiveness over LNG and methanol.

Technical economic and environmental assessments of projected power-to-gas (PtG) deployment scenarios at distributed- to national-scale are reviewed as well as their extensions to nuclear-assisted renewable hydrogen. Their collective research trends outcomes challenges and limitations are highlighted leading to suggested future work areas. These studies have focused on the conversion of excess wind and solar photovoltaic electricity in European-based energy systems using low-temperature electrolysis technologies. Synthetic natural gas either solely or with hydrogen has been the most frequent PtG product. However the spectrum of possible deployment scenarios has been incompletely explored to date in terms of geographical/sectorial application environment electricity generation technology and PtG processes products and their end-uses to meet a given energy system demand portfolio. Suggested areas of focus include PtG deployment scenarios: (i) incorporating concentrated solar- and/or hybrid renewable generation technologies; (ii) for energy systems facing high cooling and/or water desalination/treatment demands; (iii) employing high-temperature and/or hybrid hydrogen production processes; and (iv) involving PtG material/energy integrations with other installations/sectors. In terms of PtG deployment simulation suggested areas include the use of dynamic and load/utilization factor-dependent performance characteristics dynamic commodity prices more systematic comparisons between power-to-what potential deployment options and between product end-uses more holistic performance criteria and formal optimizations.

The European Union’s target to reach greenhouse gas neutrality by 2050 calls for a sharp decrease in the consumption of natural gas. This study assesses impacts of greenhouse gas neutrality on the gas system taking France and Germany as two case studies which illustrate a wide range of potential developments within the European Union. Based on a review of French and German GHG-neutral scenarios it explores impacts on gas infrastructure and estimates the changes in end-user methane price considering a business-as-usual and an optimised infrastructure pathway. Our results show that gas supply and demand radically change by mid-century across various scenarios. Moreover the analysis suggests that deep transformations of the gas infrastructure are required and that according to the existing pricing mechanisms the end-user price of methane will increase driven by the switch to low-carbon gases and intensified by infrastructure costs.

Global climate policy commitments are encouraging the development of EU energy policies aimed at paving the way for cleaner energy systems. This article reviews key decarbonization drivers for Italy considering higher environmental targets from recent European Union climate policies. Energy efficiency the electrification of final consumption the development of green fuels increasing the share of renewable energy sources in the electric system and carbon capture and storage are reviewed. A 2030 scenario is designed to forecast the role of decarbonization drivers in future energy systems and to compare their implementation with that in the current situation. Energy efficiency measures will reduce final energy consumption by 15.6% as primary energy consumption will decrease by 19.8%. The electrification of final consumption is expected to increase by 6.08%. The use of green fuels is estimated to triple as innovative fuels may go to market at scale to uphold the ambitious decarbonization targets set in the transportation sector. The growing trajectory of renewable sources in the energy mix is confirmed as while power generation is projected to increase by 10% the share of renewables in that generation is expected to increase from 39.08% to 78.16%. Capture and storage technologies are also expected to play an increasingly important role. This article has policy implications and serves as a regulatory reference in the promotion of decarbonization investments.

Industry is frequently framed as hard-to-decarbonize given its diversity of requirements technologies and supply chains many of which are unique to particular sectors. Net zero commitments since 2019 have begun to challenge the carbon intensity of these various industries but progress has been slow globally. Against this backdrop the United Kingdom has emerged as a leader in industrial decarbonization efforts. Their approach is based on industrial clusters which cut across engineering spatial and socio-political dimensions. Two of the largest of these clusters in England in terms of industrial emissions are the Humber and Merseyside. In this paper drawn from a rich mixed methods original dataset involving expert interviews (N = 46 respondents) site visits (N = 20) a review of project documents and the academic literature we explore ongoing efforts to decarbonize both the Humber and Merseyside through the lens of spatially expansive and technically complex megaprojects. Both have aggressive implementation plans in place for the deployment of net-zero infrastructure with Zero Carbon Humber seeking billions in investment to build the country’s first large-scale bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) plant alongside a carbon transport network and hydrogen production infrastructure and HyNet seeking billions in investment to build green and blue hydrogen facilities along with a carbon storage network near Manchester and Liverpool. We draw from the social construction of technology (SCOT) literature to examine the relevant social groups interpretive flexibility and patterns of closure associated with Zero Carbon Humber and HyNet. We connect our findings to eight interpretive frames surrounding the collective projects and make connections to problems contestation and closure.

Global climate targets have highlighted the need for a whole-systems approach to decarbonisation one that includes targeted national policy and industry specific change. Situated within this context this research examines policy and pricing barriers to decarbonisation of the UK steel industry. Here the techno-economic modelling of UK green steelmaking provides a technical contribution to analysis of pricing barriers and policy solutions to these barriers in the UK specifically but also to the broader industrial decarbonisation literature. Estimated costs and associated emissions projections reveal relevant opportunities for UK steel in contributing to national climate and emissions targets. Modelling demonstrates that green steelmaking options have been put at price disadvantages compared to emissions-intensive incumbents and that fossil-free hydrogen-based steel-making has lower emissions and lower levelised costs than carbon capture and storage options including top gas recycling blast furnace (TGR-BF) with CCS and HIsarna smelter with CCS. Two primary policy recommendations are made: the removal of carbon pricing discrepancies and reductions in industrial electricity prices that would level the playing field for green steel producers in the UK. The research also provides relevant policy considerations for the international community in other industrial decarbonisation efforts and the policies that must accompany these decarbonisation choices.

Hydrogen is widely considered to play a pivotal role in successfully transforming the German energy system but the German government’s current “National Hydrogen Strategy” does not specify how hydrogen utilization production storage or distribution will be implemented. Addressing key uncertainties for the German energy system’s path to greenhouse gas-neutrality this paper examines hydrogen in different scenarios. This analysis aims to support the concretization of the German hydrogen strategy. Applying a European energy supply model with strong interactions between the conversion sector and the hydrogen system the analysis focuses on the requirements for geological hydrogen storages and their utilization over the course of a year the positioning of electrolyzers within Germany and the contributions of hydrogen transport networks to balancing supply and demand. Regarding seasonal hydrogen storages the results show that hydrogen storage facilities in the range of 42 TWhH2 to 104 TWhH2 are beneficial to shift high electricity generation volumes from onshore wind in spring and fall to winter periods with lower renewable supply and increased electricity and heat demands. In 2050 the scenario results show electrolyzer capacities between 41 GWel and 75 GWel in Germany. Electrolyzer sites were found to follow the low-cost renewable energy potential and are concentrated on the North Sea and Baltic Sea coasts with their high wind yields. With respect to a hydrogen transport infrastructure there were two robust findings: One a domestic German hydrogen transport network connecting electrolytic hydrogen production sites in northern Germany with hydrogen demand hubs in western and southern Germany is economically efficient. Two connecting Germany to a European hydrogen transport network with interconnection capacities between 18 GWH2 and 58 GWH2 is cost-efficient to meet Germany’s substantial hydrogen demand.

South Korea has a plan to realize a hydrogen economy and it is essential to establish a main hydrogen pipeline for hydrogen transport. This study develops a cost estimation model applicable to the construction of hydrogen pipelines and conducts an economic analysis to evaluate various scenarios for hydrogen pipeline construction. As a result the cost of modifying an existing natural gas to a hydrogen pipeline is the lowest however there are issues with the safety of the modified hydrogen pipes from natural gas and the necessity of the existing natural gas pipelines. In the case of a short-distance hydrogen pipeline the cost is about 1.8 times that of the existing natural gas pipeline modification but it is considered a transitional scenario before the construction of the main hydrogen pipeline nationwide. Lastly in the case of long-distance main hydrogen pipeline construction it takes about 3.7 times as much cost as natural gas pipeline modification however it has the advantage of being the ultimate hydrogen pipeline network. In this study various hydrogen pipeline establishment scenarios ware compared. These results are expected to be utilized to establish plans for building hydrogen pipelines and to evaluate their economic feasibility.

Hydrogen represents a versatile energy carrier with net zero end use emissions. Power-to-Liquid (PtL) includes the combination of hydrogen with CO2 to produce liquid fuels and satisfy mostly transport demand. This study assesses the role of these pathways across scenarios that achieve 80–95% CO₂ reduction by 2050 (vs. 1990) using the JRC-EU-TIMES model. The gaps in the literature covered in this study include a broader spatial coverage (EU28+) and hydrogen use in all sectors (beyond transport). The large uncertainty in the possible evolution of the energy system has been tackled with an extensive sensitivity analysis. 15 parameters were varied to produce more than 50 scenarios. Results indicate that parameters with the largest influence are the CO₂ target the availability of CO₂ underground storage and the biomass potential.

Hydrogen demand increases from 7 mtpa today to 20–120 mtpa (2.4–14.4 EJ/yr) mainly used for PtL (up to 70 mtpa) transport (up to 40 mtpa) and industry (25 mtpa). Only when CO₂ storage was not possible due to a political ban or social acceptance issues was electrolysis the main hydrogen production route (90% share) and CO₂ use for PtL became attractive. Otherwise hydrogen was produced through gas reforming with CO₂ capture and the preferred CO₂ sink was underground. Hydrogen and PtL contribute to energy security and independence allowing to reduce energy related import cost from 420 bln€/yr today to 350 or 50 bln€/yr for 95% CO₂ reduction with and without CO₂ storage. Development of electrolyzers fuel cells and fuel synthesis should continue to ensure these technologies are ready when needed. Results from this study should be complemented with studies with higher spatial and temporal resolution. Scenarios with global trading of hydrogen and potential import to the EU were not included.

The clean hydrogen in the prioritized value chain platform could provide energy incentives and reduce environmental impacts. In the current study strengths weaknesses opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis has been successfully applied to the clean hydrogen value chain in different sectors to determine Japan’s clean hydrogen value chain’s strengths weaknesses opportunities and threats as a case study. Japan was chosen as a case study since we believe that it is the only pioneer country in that chain with a national strategy investments and current projects which make it unique in this way. The analyses include evaluations of clean energy development power supply chains regional energy planning and renewable energy development including the internal and external elements that may influence the growth of the hydrogen economy in Japan. The ability of Japan to produce and use large quantities of clean hydrogen at a price that is competitive with fossil fuels is critical to the country’s future success. The implementation of an efficient carbon tax and carbon pricing is also necessary for cost parity. There will be an increasing demand for global policy coordination and inter-industry cooperation. The results obtained from this research will be a suitable model for other countries to be aware of the strengths weaknesses opportunities and threats in this field in order to make proper decisions according to their infrastructures potentials economies and socio-political states in that field.

Discover the colours of hydrogen debunk the myths around hydrogen and learn the facts and key moments in history for hydrogen as well as innovative technologies ground-breaking projects state-of-the-art research development and cooperation by members of Hydrogen Europe

On this week's episode of Everything About Hydrogen the team are celebrating the show's one year anniversary with Randy MacEwen the CEO of Ballard Power Systems. On the show the team ask Randy to explain the stunning rise of hydrogen over the last 12-24 months how the use cases for hydrogen are evolving and how the growing capitalisation of listed businesses like Ballard is driving a change in the investor base across the hydrogen & fuel cell sector. We also dive into the future for Ballard where the challenges and focuses for the business lie while the team reflect on what has been a very intense year for the show and the hydrogen industry. All this and more!

The podcast can be found on their website

The team are joined by Dr. Jenifer Baxter of the Institution for Mechanical Engineers (IMECHE). Dr. Baxter is based in the UK and is the Chief Engineer at IMECHE. We often focus heavily on the business cases and development models at the heart of the hydrogen economy here at EAH. On this episode we bring the technical discussion to the forefront and speak with Dr. Baxter about the technical advantages and the challenges that hydrogen presents as an essential part of the path to decarbonizing the future. The team's conversation is a can't miss exploration of a wide range of potential applications for hydrogen technologies that brings a new and essential perspective to the podcast. Don't miss out on EAH's newest episode where we get the engineer's perspective on the future of hydrogen!

The podcast can be found on their website

The aim of this paper is to analyze the factors affecting hydrogen and Carbon Capture and Storage Technologies (“CCS”) policies taking into consideration Fossil Fuel Consumption Oil Reserves the Debt/GDP Ratio the Trilemma Index and other variables with respect to OECD countries. STATA 17 was used for the analysis. The results confirm the hypothesis that countries with high fossil fuel consumption and oil reserves are investing in blue hydrogen and CCS towards a “zero-carbon-emission” perspective. Moreover countries with a good Debt/GDP ratio act most favorably to green policies by raising their Public Debt because Foreign Direct Investments are negatively correlated with those kinds of policies. Future research should exploit Green Finance policy decision criteria on green and blue hydrogen.

Hydrogen is currently enjoying a renewed and widespread momentum in many national and international climate strategies. This review paper is focused on analysing the challenges and opportunities that are related to green and blue hydrogen which are at the basis of different perspectives of a potential hydrogen society. While many governments and private companies are putting significant resources on the development of hydrogen technologies there still remains a high number of unsolved issues including technical challenges economic and geopolitical implications. The hydrogen supply chain includes a large number of steps resulting in additional energy losses and while much focus is put on hydrogen generation costs its transport and storage should not be neglected. A low-carbon hydrogen economy offers promising opportunities not only to fight climate change but also to enhance energy security and develop local industries in many countries. However to face the huge challenges of a transition towards a zero-carbon energy system all available technologies should be allowed to contribute based on measurable indicators which require a strong international consensus based on transparent standards and targets.

In December 2019 the European Commission unveiled an ambitious project the European Green Deal which aims to lead the European Union to climate neutrality by 2050. This is a significant challenge for all EU countries and especially for Poland. The role of hydrogen in the processes of decarbonization of the economy and transport is being discussed in many countries around the world to find rational solutions to this difficult and complex problem. There is an ongoing discussion about the hydrogen economy which covers the production of hydrogen its storage transport and conversion to the desired forms of energy primarily electricity mechanical energy and new fuels. The development of the hydrogen economy can significantly support the achievement of climate neutrality. The belief that hydrogen plays an important role in the transformation of the energy sector is widespread. There are many technical and economic challenges as well as legal and logistical barriers to deal with in the transition process. The development of hydrogen technologies and a global sustainable energy system that uses hydrogen offers a real opportunity to solve the challenges facing the global energy industry: meeting the need for clean fuels increasing the efficiency of fuel and energy production and significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The paper provides an in-depth analysis of the Polish Hydrogen Strategy a document that sets out the directions for the development of hydrogen use (competences and technologies) in the energy transport and industrial sectors. This analysis is presented against the background of the European Commission’s document ‘A Hydrogen Strategy for a Climate-Neutral Europe’. The draft project presented is a good basis for further discussion on the directions of development of the Polish economy. The Polish Hydrogen Strategy although it was created later than the EU document does not fully follow its guidelines. The directions for further work on the hydrogen strategy are indicated so that its final version can become a driving force for the development of the country’s economy.