Ref. Ares(2020)7502391 - 10/12/2020
2x40 GW Green Hydrogen Initiative
for a “European Green Deal”
2x40 GW Green Hydrogen Initiative for a European Green Deal
1
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© Hydrogen Europe
Brussels
February 2020
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This publication is initiated by ‘Hydrogen Europe’ and endorsed by ‘African Hydrogen Partnership’,
‘Ukrainian Hydrogen Council’, ‘Dii Desert Energy’ and ‘EU-GCC Clean Energy Technology Network’
Hydrogen Europe:
https://hydrogeneurope.eu/
African Hydrogen Partnership:
https://www.afr-h2-p.com/
Ukrainian Hydrogen Council
https://hydrogeneurope.eu/member/ukrainian-hydrogen-council
Dii Desert Energy:
https://dii-desertenergy.org/
EU-GCC Clean Energy Technology Network https://www.eugcc-cleanergy.net/
Reproduction is authorized provided the source is acknowledged. For any use or reproduction of
photos or other material that is not under the Hydrogen Europe copyright, permission must be
sought directly from the copyright holders
2x40 GW Green Hydrogen Initiative for a European Green Deal
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Contents
Summary ................................................................................................................................... 4
Pivotal role of hydrogen in a sustainable energy system ..................................................... 5
Europe has a unique opportunity to realize a green hydrogen system ................................ 6
Europe has good renewable energy resources ........................................................................ 6
Very good renewable energy resources in North-Africa and Middle East ............................. 7
Europe has an increasing demand for hydrogen ..................................................................... 8
Europe can use its sophisticated gas infrastructure to transport and store hydrogen ........... 10
Re-use the natural gas pipelines to transport hydrogen .................................................................. 10
Realize new hydrogen transport infrastructure, especially between Africa and Europe ................ 12
Availability of salt caverns for large scale hydrogen storage ........................................................... 13
How can the infrastructure transition take place from natural gas to hydrogen? .......................... 15
Europe has a world class electrolyser industry for green hydrogen production ................... 16
The “2x40 GW Green Hydrogen Initiative” ........................................................................ 17
Roadmap 2x40 GW Green Hydrogen production to 2030 ................................................... 17
Captive Market; Hydrogen production near the hydrogen demand ............................................... 18
Hydrogen Market; Hydrogen production near the energy resource ............................................... 18
Roadmap 40 GW electrolyser capacity in the European Union to 2030. ............................. 19
Roadmap 40 GW electrolyser capacity in North-Africa and Ukraine 2030. ........................ 20
Renewable hydrogen becomes cost competitive .................................................................. 22
Investment in 2x40 GW electrolyser capacity ...................................................................... 24
What we offer and what we need .......................................................................................... 25
References ................................................................................................................................ 26
Appendix Hydrogen for Climate Action ............................................................................. 28
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Summary
Hydrogen can play a crucial role in achieving both a clean and prosperous economy.
2x40 GW Green Hydrogen Initiative for a European Green Deal
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Pivotal role of hydrogen
in a sustainable energy system
Climate change is a serious problem, urging us to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions
across all sectors. This implies radical changes towards a sustainable and circular economy that is
at the same time constructive and competitive. Hydrogen can play a crucial role in achieving both a
clean and prosperous economy.
Hydrogen and electricity are both carbon free energy carriers that can be produced from fossil
energy resources as well as renewable energy resources. Both carriers will be necessary in a
sustainable energy system and are very much complementary to each other.
Hydrogen allows for cost-efficient bulk transport of energy over long distances together with cost-
effective storage of large energy volumes. Hydrogen can therefore decouple energy production and
usage in location and time. Additionally, hydrogen can be used to decarbonise all energy use:
• in industry, both for feedstock and high temperature heat,
• in mobility, for road, rail, water and air transport,
• in buildings, for heating and cooling,
• in electricity, to balance electricity demand and supply
Figure 1: Hydrogen can balance energy production and use in location and time, and decarbonize end uses
(HydrogenCouncil, 2017)
Hydrogen and electricity grid infrastructures together with large scale seasonal hydrogen storage
and small-scale day-night electricity storage, in mutual co-existence, will be essential to realise a
sustainable, reliable, zero-emission and cost-effective energy system.
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Europe has a unique opportunity to realize
a green hydrogen system
Europe and the neighbouring regions have good renewable resources and the industry to quickly
and cost effectively realise a green hydrogen system. Europe has also a need and demand for
hydrogen to decarbonise the industry, mobility and building sector. And Europe has its natural gas
infrastructure. By converting part of the existing gas infrastructure for transport and storage of
hydrogen will give Europe an unique opportunity to deliver on its commitments for renewable
energy production and usage while utilising this current vast infrastructure asset. It will provide the
European hydrogen industry a competitive advantage to produce sustainable and circular products
and services while creating many green jobs at the same time.
Europe has good renewable energy resources
In Europe, good renewable energy resources are geographically distributed. However, they are not
evenly distributed among EU Member States and, therefore, large-scale, pan-European energy
transport and storage is necessary.
Large scale on- and offshore wind can be produced at competitive and subsidy-free prices in several
parts of Europe (Vattenfall, 2019) (Guardian, 2019). Large-scale offshore wind has great potential in
the North Sea, Irish Sea, Baltic Sea and parts of the Mediterranean Sea. And large-scale onshore wind
potential can be found in Greece, the UK, Ireland and in many other coastal areas in Europe such as
Portugal, Poland and Germany. Large-scale solar PV can nowadays also be built competitively and
subsidy-free (Energylivenews, 2019), most notably in Southern Europe, for instance in Spain,
Portugal, Italy and Greece.
Furthermore, low cost hydropower electricity can be produced in Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Austria,
Switzerland, amongst others and geothermal electricity in Iceland, Italy, Poland and Hungary.
Although, the potential expansion of the hydropower and geothermal capacity is limited, the future
introduction of marine/tidal energy converters could furthermore augment the production of
renewable electricity and hydrogen in the UK, Portugal, Norway and Iceland.
Ukraine has good wind resources together with a large potential for biomass. These resources could
be both used for green hydrogen production together with green CO2 production from biomass
(UkrainianHydrogenCouncil, 2019).
Figure 2: Solar irradiation (left) and wind speed at 80 m height (right) in Europe
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Very good renewable energy resources in North-Africa and Middle East
In North Africa, however, the solar energy resources are even better than in Southern Europe. The
Sahara Desert is the world’s sunniest area year-round. It is a large area (at 9.4 million square km
more than twice the size of the European Union) that receives, on average, 3,600 hours of sunshine
yearly and in some areas 4,000 hours (Varadi, Wouters, & Hoffmann, 2018). This translates into solar
insolation levels of 2,500-3,000 kWh per square meter per year. A fraction (8-10% of the Sahara
Desert’s area could generate the globe’s entire energy demand (van Wijk, van der Roest, & Boere,
2017).
It should be noted that the Sahara Desert is one of the windiest areas on the planet, especially on
the west coast. Average annual wind speeds at ground level exceed 5 m/s in most of the desert and
it reaches 8-9 m/s in the western coastal regions. Wind speeds increase with height above the
ground, and the Sahara winds are quite steady throughout the year. Also, Egypt’s Zaafarana region
is comparable to Morocco’s Atlantic coast, with high and steady wind speeds (Wijk, Wouters, Rachidi,
& Ikken, 2019). In Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt certain land areas have wind speeds
that are comparable to offshore conditions in the Mediterranean, Baltic Sea and some parts of the
North Sea.
Figure 3: Solar irradiation and wind speed resources in Europe and North Africa (Dii & FraunhoferISI, 2012)
Not only North-Africa has good solar and wind resources, but also the Middle East has excellent
solar resources and at some places also very good wind resources. Turkey, Oman, Saudi Arabia,
Jordan, United Arab Emirates and other countries in this region could potentially become major
green hydrogen exporting countries.
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Europe has an increasing demand for hydrogen
Europe is an industrialised region with a major petrochemicals and chemicals industry that
produces about 6 to 15% of the total global refining and chemicals output. Most of the hydrogen
currently produced is used as a feedstock to make other materials. European hydrogen demand was
about 325 TWh hydrogen in 2015, mainly used in refineries and in the chemical industry for the
production of ammonia and methanol. Most of the hydrogen used in these industries currently
comes from natural gas by Steam Methane Reforming whereby the CO2 is released to the air, so-
called grey hydrogen (FCHJU, 2019).
It is expected that the current use of hydrogen as feedstock will grow. But also new opportunities for
hydrogen use as feedstock are emerging. Especially in steel production hydrogen can replace coal.
And hydrogen together with CO2 can be used to produce synthetic fuels, such as kerosene. Next to
the use of hydrogen as feedstock, hydrogen can be used in industry to produce high temperature
heat and steam, replacing natural gas and coal. High temperature heat can be produced from
hydrogen by retrofitting existing gas turbines, furnaces and boilers.
Hydrogen-powered vehicles are now available in the large car, taxi, van, bus, truck, forklifts and
tractor markets. Their market shares will increase rapidly in the next decades. However, in other
transportation markets, such as trains, ships, planes and drones, hydrogen will gain market share
too. Fuel cells will become the dominant technology in future, whereby hydrogen will be chemically
converted into electricity that drives an electric motor.
In Buildings hydrogen can be used for heating and power. Hydrogen can be used in boilers to
produce heat. Hydrogen boilers and hydrogen ready boilers (boilers that can now be fuelled on
natural gas and in the future on hydrogen) have entered the market in 2019. Next to these boilers,
also small fuel cell micro CHP (Combined Heat and Power) installations enter the market. These
micro CHP fuel cells provide both electricity and heat to buildings.
Finally hydrogen is needed in balancing the electricity system. Hydrogen can be stored and
transported cheaply and easily and is therefore very suited to match electricity supply and demand
in time and place. Hydrogen can be used like natural gas in existing modestly retrofitted power
plants, in both the gas turbines and boilers. In future fuel cells can be used to balance the power
system, both centralized as well as decentralized peak power or CHP plant.
The FCHJU (Fuel Cell Hydrogen Joint Undertaking) has released in January 2019 the report
‘Hydrogen Roadmap Europe, A sustainable pathway for the European Energy Transition’ (FCHJU,
2019). This report makes the case that achieving the energy transition in the EU will require hydrogen
at large scale. Without it, the EU would miss its decarbonization objective. An ambitious roadmap
for the use of hydrogen in Europe in the different sectors is considered necessary to keep global
warming “well below 2 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels. Already in 2030 the use of
hydrogen will be more than doubled to 665 TWh, compared to 2015 use, see figure 4.
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Figure 4: An ambitious roadmap for the deployment of hydrogen in the European Union as outlined in
‘Hydrogen roadmap Europe, a sustainable pathway for the European Energy Transition (FCHJU, 2019)
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Europe can use its sophisticated gas infrastructure to transport and store
hydrogen
A challenge for the fast expansion of renewable electricity capacity in Europe is the limited electricity
grid capacity. In 2018, close to €1 billion of renewable on- and offshore wind electricity in Germany
was curtailed because of capacity constraints in the electricity grid (Bundesnetzagentur, 2019).
Part of the solution to integrating large amounts of renewable energy into the energy system
without necessarily requiring massive electricity grid upgrades is the conversion to hydrogen.
A well-developed gas infrastructure is in place connected to the gas production regions in Europe
(North Sea, Norway and the Netherlands) and outside Europe (Russia, Algeria, Libya). The energy
transmission capacity in the gas infrastructure is at least a factor of 10 larger than the capacity of the
electricity grid.
Re-use the natural gas pipelines to transport hydrogen
The existing gas infrastructure can be relatively easily and fast converted to accommodate hydrogen
at modest cost (DNV-GL, 2017) (Kiwa, 2018). In addition, building “new” gas infrastructure is 10-20
times cheaper than building the same energy transport capacity with a “new” electricity
infrastructure (Vermeulen, 2017). However, to unlock the wind resources in the Baltic Sea and the
wind plus solar resources in Greece, new hydrogen pipeline infrastructure needs to be realised.
In the Netherlands Gasunie, the Dutch natural gas transmission grid operator, has already started to
realise a hydrogen backbone pipeline infrastructure, by converting natural gas pipelines. This
hydrogen backbone connects hydrogen production sites, among others from offshore wind at the
North Sea, to hydrogen storage in salt caverns and to the demand in industrial clusters, see figure 5.
Gasunie has already converted a 12 km natural gas pipeline into a hydrogen pipeline that is
operational since November 2018 (Gasunie, 2018).
Figure 5: Hydrogen Backbone the Netherlands – One natural gas transport pipeline infrastructure wil be
converted into a hydrogen transport pipeline that connects hydrogen production to hydrogen storage and the
demand in industrial clusters (Gasunie, 2019)
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Also in Germany, FNB Gas, the cooperation of the large national gas transport companies in
Germany, has developed a plan for a 5.900 kilometre hydrogen transport grid, partly by converting
existing natural gas pipelines, to connect future hydrogen production centres in northern Germany,
with large scale hydrogen storage in salt caverns and to the large customers in the west and south,
see figure 6.
Figure 6: Hydrogen Backbone in Germany – proposed by FNB Gas, the cooperation of the large national gas
transport companies in Germany, to develop a 5.900 kilometre hydrogen transport grid throughout Germany
(Figure copied from German newspaper Handelsblatt 28-1-2020 (Stratmann, 2020)
).
A transnational European hydrogen gas infrastructure backbone that can transport large amounts
of hydrogen from the solar and wind resource areas throughout Europe is outlined in figure 7.
Besides green hydrogen, also blue hydrogen (hydrogen from fossil fuels, whereby the CO2 is
captured and stored) could be fed into this backbone hydrogen infrastructure, whereby blue
hydrogen could create the large volumes of hydrogen, necessary to respond to the large demand
centres and initiate the fast conversion of the natural gas infrastructure into a hydrogen
infrastructure.
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Figure 7: European Transnational Hydrogen Backbone - The natural gas infrastructure in Europe (blue and red
lines) and an outline for a hydrogen backbone infrastructure (orange lines). The main part of the hydrogen
backbone infrastructure consists of re-used natural gas transport pipelines with new compressors. A ‘’new’’
hydrogen transport pipeline must be realised from Italy to Greece and from Greece to the Black See, also along
the South Coast of the Iberian Peninsula a dedicated hydrogen pipeline has to be realized.
Realize new hydrogen transport infrastructure, especially between Africa and Europe
North Africa has even better solar resources together with interesting wind resources. Today Europe
imports natural gas from Algeria and Libya, with several pipeline connections to Spain and Italy. For
Europe it would be very interesting to unlock the renewable energy potential in North Africa, convert
this electricity to hydrogen and transport the energy via pipelines to Europe. Part of the natural gas
grid could be converted to hydrogen (Wijk, Wouters, Rachidi, & Ikken, 2019). But also, the
construction of new hydrogen pipelines would be a cost-effective option to transport renewable
energy to Europe, see figure 8. The realisation of a large new hydrogen pipeline from Egypt, via
Greece to Italy, 2,500 km, with 66 GW capacity, consisting of 2 pipelines of 48 inch each, would imply
an investment of € 16.5 billion. With a load factor of 4,500 hours per year, an amount of 300 TWh or
7.6 million ton hydrogen per year can be transported. The levelized cost for hydrogen transport by
such a pipeline is calculated to be 0.005 €/kWh or 0.2 €/kg H2, which is a reasonable fraction of the
total cost of delivered hydrogen (vanWijk, 2019).
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Figure 8: Europe North-Africa Hydrogen Backbone – The Natural gas infrastructure between North-Africa and
Europe (grey lines) and an outline for a first phase hydrogen backbone infrastructure (orange lines). The main
part of the hydrogen backbone infrastructure consists of re-used natural gas transport pipelines with new
compressors. A ‘’new’’ hydrogen transport pipeline must be realized from Italy to Greece, crossing the
Mediterranean Sea to Egypt, which could eventual y be extended to the Middle East (Wijk, Wouters, Rachidi, &
Ikken, 2019)
.
Availability of salt caverns for large scale hydrogen storage
Natural gas demand in Europe, especially in Northern Europe, shows a strong seasonal variation, in
wintertime the gas demand is 2-3 times higher than in summertime (BDEW, 2018) (Entrance, 2017).
However, natural gas production is constant throughout the year. Therefore, large scale seasonal
storage of natural gas is necessary. Natural gas is stored in large quantities in empty gas fields,
porous rock formations and salt caverns. About 15-20% of the total gas consumption is stored to
balance gas production and consumption (Timmerberg & Kaltschmitt, 2019) (vanWijk, 2019).
Storage of natural gas is today also crucial to balance electricity supply and demand. Balancing the
electricity system is done by pumped hydropower storage but mainly by flexible power plants,
especially gas fired power plants.
Salt caverns are the “left over” of salt production. A number of these salt caverns are in use for
natural gas storage and in some other caverns oil, compressed air and other products are stored,
see figure 9. Salt caverns can be used to store hydrogen in the same way as they can store natural
gas (HyUnder, 2013). Already salt caverns are in use to store hydrogen for many decades, for example
near Leeds in the UK.
In a typical salt cavern, hydrogen can be stored at a pressure of about 200 bar. The storage
capacity is then about 6,000 ton hydrogen or about 240 GWh. The total installation costs,
including piping, compressors and gas treatment, are about € 100 mil ion (Michalski, et al.,
2017). For comparison, if this amount of energy would be stored in batteries, with costs of
100 €/kWh, the total investment cost would be € 24 billion. Storing energy as hydrogen in salt
caverns is therefore at least a factor of 100 cheaper that storing energy as electricity in batteries.
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Figure 9: Salt cavern (right) and salt formations with salt caverns throughout Europe (left). The red diamonds
are salt caverns in use for natural gas storage
Europe has still many empty salt caverns available for large scale hydrogen storage. Besides
dedicated salt caverns for hydrogen, new storage capacity can be developed in the different salt
formations in Europe. A recent study shows that there is a very large hydrogen storage potential in
salt caverns in Europe, see figure 10 (Caglayan, et al., 2019). And maybe hydrogen can be stored in
some empty gas fields that meet specific requirements to store hydrogen. However, this needs more
research.
Figure 10: Salt cavern hydrogen storage potential in Europe (Caglayan, et al., 2019)
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How can the infrastructure transition take place from natural gas to hydrogen?
The difficult question is, how can the transition take place from a natural gas infrastructure to a
hydrogen infrastructure. Because at first there is not enough hydrogen production to build or
retrofit a natural gas pipeline into a hydrogen transport pipeline with a capacity of 15-20 GW. So
retrofitting a natural gas transport pipeline into a hydrogen pipeline or to build a new dedicated
hydrogen pipeline is only relevant and cost effective at the end of the period up to 2030.
There are several possible pathways and solutions for this transition from natural gas to hydrogen.
• Produce as soon as possible also large quantities of carbon neutral hydrogen to have
enough hydrogen volume to fill a transport pipeline. This makes it possible to convert
natural gas pipelines to hydrogen transport pipelines earlier.
• Blend hydrogen in natural gas. Most probably 2-5% of hydrogen could be blended in the
transport natural gas grids without the need to replace compressors. Above 5% the
hydrogen could be blended in, in one specific transport pipeline, where the compressors
are replaced.
• Put a small hydrogen pipe in a natural gas pipeline. Such a pipe in pipe system is most
probably cheaper and faster to install. In this way 1-2 GW capacity of hydrogen can be
transported over larger distances, f.e. crossing the Mediterranean Sea or at the North Sea,
without exceptional high cost. And at the same time still natural gas can be transported.
• Build extra Ammonia plants in harbor areas and export the hydrogen by shipping the
ammonia. This ammonia could be used in the fertilizer and chemical industry, it could be
cracked back to hydrogen or it could be used direct as a fuel in diesel engines in sea ships.
• Build Hydrogen liquefaction plants in harbor areas and export liquid hydrogen by shipping.
The liquid hydrogen could be converted into gases hydrogen easily in the port of arrival
and put into a pipeline system. Or the liquid hydrogen could be put into a truck that
transport the liquid hydrogen to fueling stations (up to 10 times more energy can be
transported in liquid hydrogen than at pressurized hydrogen)
• Other solutions to ship hydrogen, such as binding to toluene, re-use CO2 to convert to
methanol, formic acid, kerosene, or another synthetic hydrocarbon.
The type of solution that will be preferable will depend on the regional characteristics. For example
at the North Sea, where natural gas pipelines are available, blending or pipe in pipe solutions are
most probably a more preferable option. But in Morocco most probably converting to ammonia
and shipment of ammonia could be the preferred option. Therefore the transition from natural gas
to a hydrogen infrastructure, developing harbor areas for hydrogen, distribution of hydrogen to
fueling stations and buildings and cross border import/export of hydrogen are topics that needs
more thorough research to come up with clever and cost effective solutions.
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Europe has a world class electrolyser industry for green hydrogen
production
Hydrogen is an energy carrier, like electricity and it must be produced from an energy source. It can
be (electro)chemically processed from fossil energy sources, such as gas, oil, coal or fossil electricity,
or from renewable resources, such as biogas, biomass, green electricity or direct from sunlight.
Hydrogen produced from biogas, biomass and hydrogen produced via electrolysis from water with
renewable electricity is called
renewable or
green hydrogen. In the electrolyser technology, Europe
has a strong market position and is globally leading.
Although there is little dedicated hydrogen production via water electrolysis today, electrolysers are
not a new technology. Today worldwide about 20-25 GW of electrolyser capacity is operated mostly
for chlorine production. By electrolysis of salt dissolved in water, chlorine is produced from the salt,
but at the same time hydrogen is produced from water. Hydrogen is a by-product, that is partly used
to produce heat or steam. Globally, a large part of these chlorine electrolysers has been produced
by European companies and therefore the electrolyser industry and supply chain in Europe have
today a strong world market position. This is a good starting position to build a leading water
electrolyser industry in Europe. Some examples of European electrolyser products are shown in
figure 11.
Alkaline electrolyser ThyssenKrupp Alkaline electrolyser NEL PEM electrolyser Siemens
PEM electrolyser Hydrogenics PEM electrolyser ITM Power Alkaline electrolyser McPhy
Figure 11: Electrolyser products from Europe.
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The “2x40 GW Green Hydrogen Initiative”
The realisation of a renewable hydrogen economy will create jobs, economic growth and welfare for
Europe, North-Africa, Ukraine and other neighbouring areas. At the same time, it could contribute
to a cleaner, decarbonised Europe and Africa. However, such a hydrogen economy requires a
coordinated European approach in collaboration with Africa and their neighbouring regions such as
the Middle-East. Such an approach must encompass renewable (and low-carbon or blue) hydrogen
production, where the hydrogen market development is combined with the development of a
hydrogen infrastructure.
In many countries, including Japan, China, US, South Korea, Australia and Canada, there is a strong
increase in budgets for hydrogen research, innovation and implementation. Especially Japan has a
very strong commitment to realise a hydrogen economy, showing its engagement to the world
through the Olympic Games 2020, which will be labelled the hydrogen games. Most notably Japan,
China and Canada have emerging renewable hydrogen equipment manufacturing industries that
are competing with European ones.
The European electrolyser industry and supply chain has a strong and competitive world market
position today. If the European Union wants to create a world leading electrolyser industry for
renewable hydrogen production, the time to act is now.
Therefore we propose to install 40 GW electrolyser capacity in the countries of the European Union
as well as 40 GW electrolyser capacity in neighbouring countries, especially in North-Africa and
Ukraine.
We, the European industry, are committed to develop a strong and
world-leading electrolyser industry and market and to commit to
produce renewable hydrogen at equal and eventually lower cost than
low-carbon (blue) hydrogen. A prerequisite for that is that a 2x40 GW
electrolyser market in the European Union and neighbouring countries
(North-Africa and Ukraine) will develop up to 2030.
Roadmap 2x40 GW Green Hydrogen production to 2030
Today the installed capacity for water electrolysis in the EU is limited. In the past years, a
tremendous effort has been delivered by electrolyser companies, with support from the EU, to bring
down cost, increase efficiency, increase electrolyser unit size and build up production volumes. Pilot
and demo projects have been installed, but the time is now to scale up the electrolyser market in
order to bring down cost and to develop a strong and competitive European electrolyser industry.
Most present hydrogen production is at or close to the sites where the hydrogen is consumed.
Hydrogen demand is currently only prevalent where hydrogen is used as a feedstock, e.g. in the
chemical and petrol-chemical industry. There is only a limited, privately owned hydrogen pipeline
infrastructure between some chemical and petrochemical industries and areas. The current
hydrogen production is therefore characterised as captive, there is no public large-scale hydrogen
pipeline infrastructure available and other than point to point sales, there is no regular and existing
hydrogen market and infrastructure.
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In the near future there will be a renewable and low-carbon hydrogen market for feedstock to
produce chemicals, petrochemicals, new synthetic fuels (i.e. kerosene) and to produce “green steel”
from iron-ore in a reduction process called direct reduce iron by using hydrogen instead of carbon
monoxide. Next to these industrial feedstock applications a hydrogen market for mobility, high and
low temperature heat and electricity production for balancing purposes will emerge.
Low-carbon and renewable hydrogen production can be either captive (near the hydrogen demand)
or in central locations (near the energy resource). Today, captive solutions include low-carbon
hydrogen that will be produced by converting natural gas with carbon capture, supplied by a natural
gas pipeline and renewable hydrogen that can be produced by water electrolysis, whereby the
electricity is supplied using the electricity grid. Due to electricity grid capacity restrictions, the
electrolyser capacity at most of these sites is limited to maximum several hundred MWs.
Captive Market; Hydrogen production near the hydrogen demand
In the near future, a hydrogen market for transport fuels will emerge. At hydrogen fuelling stations,
hydrogen can be produced locally using water electrolysis on-site. The renewable electricity can be
supplied by the electricity grid or locally produced from solar or wind turbines. Electrolyser
capacities up to 10 MW can produce enough hydrogen to supply such a hydrogen refuelling station.
Also, hydrogen can be supplied to these refuelling stations by truck or pipeline. Nowadays,
compressed hydrogen is transported by truck to the hydrogen refuelling stations, but in the future,
when demand increases, liquid hydrogen will be an option.
The 1-10 MW scale market for electrolysers at hydrogen fuelling stations will grow in the coming
decade. Next to this, the market for electrolysers to produce part of the renewable hydrogen for the
chemical industry, refineries and steel production, requiring capacities in the 10-200 MW range, will
grow. These hydrogen markets for industry and mobility might remain captive markets in the near
future, hydrogen will be produced on-site, where it is used. The electrolyser is connected to the
electricity grid to produce (near) baseload hydrogen.
Hydrogen Market; Hydrogen production near the energy resource
However, to fully decarbonise the chemical and steel industry multi-GW electrolyser capacity is
needed, which cannot be installed near these plants due to insufficient electricity grid capacities.
Besides, there is a need for hydrogen in other markets such as mobility, for high and low
temperature heating and for electricity production (especially for electricity balancing purposes)
which need to be supplied from central hydrogen production sites. The GW electrolyser market,
therefore, will have a different market structure. The GW electrolysers will be installed near or close
to large scale wind, solar, hydro and/or geothermal electricity production locations. The hydrogen
will be fed into a gas grid, preferably a 100% hydrogen grid, that will transport and distribute the
hydrogen to all kinds of consumers, industry, mobility, houses, buildings and balancing power
plants. Because these electrolysers are connected to renewable electricity production, the
electrolysers will not produce in baseload, the load factor depends on the renewable electricity
production.
The GW electrolyser market requires a European hydrogen market design, with flexible and hybrid
market regulation mechanism’s that gives possibilities to Transmission System Operators’ (TSO)
and Distribution System Operators’ (DSO) (Energy transport and distribution companies) for (early)
market creation. Nevertheless in an early phase of the market development, a framework that
enables and supports the roll-out of power to gas investments by any players, as a non-regulated
activity should be part of a policy framework for hydrogen.
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Large volumes of low-carbon and renewable hydrogen produced at or nearby the resource
locations, will be fed into a hydrogen grid. Grid companies, TSO’s and DSO’s, need to have the
obligation to connect hydrogen producers and customers to such a hydrogen infrastructure. Also,
hydrogen storage facilities need to be developed and connected to this hydrogen infrastructure,
guaranteeing supply of hydrogen to customers at all times, independent of seasonal) variations of
renewable electricity. With a certification system, the EU can create a market for renewable, low-
carbon hydrogen. So, these GW scale electrolysers will produce hydrogen for a hydrogen market.
When a hydrogen pipeline infrastructure are established, also electrolysers in the range of 10-100
MW could be installed near small and medium scale renewable electricity production locations. If
not enough electricity grid capacity is available to connect solar or wind farms to the electricity grid,
part of the solar or wind electricity could be converted to hydrogen and fed into the hydrogen grid.
Such a hybrid connection to an electricity and hydrogen grid, could alleviate the capacity
constraints in the electricity grid and absorb the electricity at moments when the electricity demand
is lower than the production.
The market design of such a European hydrogen market can learn from the natural gas market
design, but needs to have the flexibility to convert from electricity to hydrogen and vice-versa, with
distinct roles for producers, TSOs and DSOs, independent regulators and clear rules for grid access,
pricing, clearing, gas quality, safety etc.
Roadmap 40 GW electrolyser capacity in the European Union to 2030.
A roadmap for the development towards 40 GW electrolyser capacity in the EU by 2030 is depicted
in table 1. The total hydrogen production in 2030 by this 40 GW will be 4.4 million ton hydrogen, 1
million ton by the 6 GW captive electrolyser capacity and 3.4 million ton by 34 GW hydrogen market
electrolyser capacity. The 4.4 million ton hydrogen (173 TWh) represents 25% of the total EU
hydrogen demand (665 TWh), as presented in the Hydrogen Roadmap Europe (FCHJU, 2019). This
will ensure Europe’s leading position in the emerging global hydrogen economy, which is crucial to
become and remain a leader in this emerging technology.
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Electrolyser
2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029
2030
Total
Capacity MW
2030
Captive Market
6,000
Chemical
5
20
45
130
200
200
250
300
350
400
450
2,350
Refineries
10
40
50
100
100
100
200
200
300
300
400
1,800
Steel
20
30
50
100
100
100
100
150
150
800
Other (glass,
10
20
30
40
50
50
50
50
50
50
400
ceramics)
Hydrogen
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
100
650
refuelling
stations
Hydrogen Market
34,000
Centralised GW
200
500 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,500 7,000
8,500 31,700
scale
Decentralised
10
20
40
70
110
160
220
290
370
460
550
2,300
10-100 MW scale
TOTAL (MW)
35
110
405
900 1,550 2,670 3,890 5,020 6,760 8,460 10,200 40,000
Table 1: A roadmap to 40 GW electrolyser capacity in the European Union 2030 shows the development
of both a captive market (6 GW) and a hydrogen market (34 GW).
A roadmap to 40 GW electrolyser capacity in the EU in 2030 shows both
a 6 GW captive and a 34 GW hydrogen market. This 40 GW electrolyser
capacity will produce 4.4 million ton or 173 TWh hydrogen in 2030,
representing 25% of the total EU hydrogen market in 2030.
Hydrogen Roadmap Europe, January 2019
Roadmap 40 GW electrolyser capacity in North-Africa and Ukraine 2030.
North-Africa has very favourable solar and wind resources, while Ukraine has good wind, solar and
biomass resources. Both have also space available for large scale renewable energy production and
have the potential to produce the necessary renewable energy for their own use as well as to become
a large-scale net exporter of renewable energy. Both North-Africa and Ukraine are neighbouring
regions to the European Union, which makes it possible and favourable to transport hydrogen via
pipelines to the EU. Because hydrogen transport by pipeline is cheaper than transport by ship, this
has a competitive advantage.
In North-Africa and the Ukraine the hydrogen production will be close to large scale renewable
electricity production sites. An interesting and feasible use of green hydrogen in North-Africa and
Ukraine is for ammonia/fertilizer production. We estimate that up to 2030 an electrolyser capacity
of 7.5 GW can be installed close to the ammonia/fertilizer production. With this installed capacity, in
2x40 GW Green Hydrogen Initiative for a European Green Deal
20
North-Africa, about 3 million ton “green ammonia” could be produced in Egypt, Algeria and Morocco
and in Ukraine it is expected that 1 million ton “green ammonia” could be produced.
The other part of the 40 GW, about 32.5 GW electrolyser capacity will be installed for large scale
hydrogen production, eventually fed into a hydrogen pipeline, for export. Roughly about 3 million
ton (118 TWh) could be hydrogen export to the EU in 2030, representing 17% of the total EU hydrogen
demand in 2030, as presented in the Hydrogen Roadmap Europe (FCHJU, 2019). A roadmap for the
development towards 40 GW electrolyser capacity in North-Africa and Ukraine is depicted in table 2.
By developing this electrolyser capacity in cooperation between the EU and North-Africa/Ukraine
the European electrolyser industry could develop an important export market, which is crucial to
become and remain a leader in this emerging technology.
Electrolyser Capacity 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029
2030
Total
MW
2030
Domestic Market
7,500
Ammonia North-Africa
75
125
250
500
750 1,000 1,250 1,500
5,450
Ammonia Ukraine
50
100
200
250
300
400
500
1,800
Other (glass, steel,
10
20
30
40
50
150
refineries)
Hydrogen refueling
10
20
30
40
100
stations
Export Market
32,500
Hydrogen North-
500 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 6,000 8,000
24,500
Africa
Hydrogen Ukraine
500
700 1,000 1,400 1,900 2,500
8,000
TOTAL (MW)
75 675 1,850 3,410 5,030 6,750 9,620 12,590
40,000
Table 2: A roadmap to 40 GW electrolyser capacity in North Africa and Ukraine 2030 shows the development of a
domestic market (7.5 GW) and an export market (32.5 GW).
A roadmap to 40 GW electrolyser capacity in North Africa and the
Ukraine in 2030 shows both a 7.5 GW domestic market and a 32.5 GW
export market. The domestic market is mainly for ammonia
production while the export market is mainly export by pipeline to the
EU, about 3 million ton or 118 TWh hydrogen in 2030, representing
17% of the total EU hydrogen market in 2030.
Hydrogen Roadmap Europe, January 2019
2x40 GW Green Hydrogen Initiative for a European Green Deal
21
Renewable hydrogen becomes cost competitive
Alkaline electrolysers are considered a mature technology, currently used to produce chlorine. PEM
electrolysers are going through a steep learning curve. Both alkaline and PEM electrolysers can be
used for water electrolysis to produce hydrogen. These electrolyser technologies consist of
electrolyser cells that are combined to build an electrolyser stack. To build a GW scale electrolyser,
a number of electrolyser stacks are placed in parallel. Both electrolyser technologies are expected
to achieve remarkable technology improvements in the next decade. Amongst others, higher
efficiencies, less degradation, higher availability, larger cell sizes, higher operating pressure, less
critical material use together with overall reduced material use, will reduce hydrogen production
cost by electrolysers.
However, next to these technology improvements, especially installed capacity volume and plant
size will bring down the electrolyser cost. An electrolyser plant has a similar technology structure as
a solar power plant. Both electrolysers and solar plants are built by producing cells, assembling a
number of cells to a solar-module/electrolyser-stack and installing a number of modules/stacks to
realize the required plant capacity. Although different, a comparable cost reduction process similar
to solar power plants can be foreseen for electrolyser plant. Automated production of the
electrolyser cell components, cells and stacks will bring down the cost for the electrolyser stacks
and building GW scale electrolyser plants will reduce the balance of plant costs per kW. The balance
of plant costs are the costs for compressors, gas cleaning, demineralised water production,
transformers and the installation cost. A substantial electrolyser market volume together with
realizing GW scale electrolysers, are essential drivers for significant cost reductions (IEA, 2019).
The electrolyser plant costs are important, but the dominant factor in the hydrogen production cost
is the electricity price, determining 60-80% of the hydrogen cost. Therefore, it is very important that
the cost of renewable electricity is as low as possible. But also important for cost reduction is to
realise large scale integrated renewable electricity-hydrogen production plants. Integrated
renewable electricity-hydrogen production can reduce cost, due to technology integration, e.g.
avoiding AC-DC and DC-AC conversion costs plus losses and due to business integration, e.g.
integrated project development, construction, but also reducing transaction cost, permitting costs,
electricity grid costs and taxes.
Altogether, technology developments, capacity volume,
Hydrogen price 1 Euro/kg equals
GW scale, low renewable electricity production cost and
integrated renewable electricity-hydrogen production
• 7 Euro/GJ H2
will result in renewable hydrogen produced by
electrolysers becoming competitive with low-carbon
• 0.025 Euro/kWh H2
hydrogen around 2025. Low-carbon hydrogen produced
• 0.09 Euro/m3 H2
from natural gas by SMR (Steam Methane Reforming) or
ATR (Auto Thermal Reforming) with CCS (Carbon Capture
• 0.24 Euro/m3 natural gas equivalent
and Storage) is assumed to cost between 1,5-2,0 Euro/kg.
Renewable hydrogen becomes competitive with grey hydrogen after 2030. But around 2030,
renewable hydrogen will be competitive with grey hydrogen together with a 20-30 Euro per ton CO2
price (1,2- 1,8 Euro/kg H2). When hydrogen is produced from natural gas, every 10 Euro per ton CO2
adds about 0,1 Euro/kg to the hydrogen price.
In North-Africa, the electricity production cost with solar and wind will be most probably lower than
in Europe, because of the better solar and wind resources and cheaper land cost. Therefore, the
2x40 GW Green Hydrogen Initiative for a European Green Deal
22
hydrogen production cost will be lower than in Europe. But the hydrogen from North-Africa must be
transported by pipeline or ship to Europe. Large-scale long-distance hydrogen pipeline transport
will add about 0.2 Euro per kg hydrogen, which will level out the lower hydrogen production cost in
North-Africa. Transport by ship is more expensive that pipeline transport. However in future,
hydrogen import from North-Africa will certainly be competitive with hydrogen production in
Europe.
If a 2 X 40 GW electrolyser market in the European Union, North Africa and Ukraine, to be realised in
the period up to 2030, will be created, the electrolyser industry will commit themselves to the Capex,
Opex and efficiency developments as presented in table 3.
Hydrogen
Capex
OPEX
System
Electricity
Hydrogen
production by (euro/kW)
%/yr Capex
Efficiency (4.000-5.000hr) (euro/kg)
electrolysers*
(HHV)
(euro/MWh)
Till 2020
600-700
2%
70-75%
40-50
3,0-4,5
2020-2025
400-600
1,5%
75-80%
30-40
2,0-3,0
2025-2030
300-500
1%
80-82%
25-30
1,5-2,0
After 2030
<300
<1%
>82%
20-30
1,0-1,5
*Hydrogen production cost for hydrogen delivered at 30 bar pressure and 99,99% purity
Table 3: Green Hydrogen production cost development up to 2030. Around 2025 green hydrogen production cost
wil become competitive with blue hydrogen production cost; 1.5-2.0 Euro/kg. Around 2030 green hydrogen wil
become competitive with grey hydrogen, with 20-30 Euro/ton CO2 price; 1,2-1,8 Euro/kg
GW scale electrolysers at wind-solar electricity-hydrogen production
sites will produce renewable hydrogen at competitive cost with low-
carbon hydrogen (1,5-2,0 Euro/kg) in 2025 and with grey hydrogen,
with 20-30 Euro/ton CO2 price (1,2-1,8 Euro/kg) in 2030.
2x40 GW Green Hydrogen Initiative for a European Green Deal
23
Investment in 2x40 GW electrolyser capacity
Based on the roadmaps for electrolyser capacity development in Europe and North-Africa-Ukraine
and the developments for the electrolyser Capex cost as depicted in table 3, the total electrolyser
investments can be calculated. These total investments in 2 X 40 GW electrolyser capacity are
between 45-25 billion Euro. The higher estimate is based on the high Capex figures given in table 3.
The lower estimate is based on the lower Capex figures given in table 3. According to the roadmaps,
over 85% of all electrolyzer capacity will be realized in the period 2025-2030, which explains the
relative low total investment costs.
Total investment in 2x40 GW electrolyser capacity is between
25 and 45 billion Euro
2x40 GW Green Hydrogen Initiative for a European Green Deal
24
What we offer and what we need
We, the industry, are committed to developing a strong and world leading electrolyser industry and
supply chain and commit to realising 2x40 GW electrolyser capacity by 2030 in Europe, North Africa
and Ukraine. But we need the European Union and its member states to design, create and facilitate
a hydrogen market, infrastructure and economy.
2x40 GW Green Hydrogen
Initiative European Union 2030
What we offer
What we need
•
Significant reduction in electrol
yser costs
• Hydrogen market design, with flexible and hybrid
• Renewable hydrogen competitive with low-
market regulation.
carbon hydrogen, in 2025 and with grey
• Implementation in EU energy policies,
hydrogen with 20-30 Euro/ton CO2 price, in
regulations and standards
2030
• Hydrogen Infrastructure by converting part of the
• GW scale electrolyser and components
natural gas infrastructure
production facilities in Europe
• Open access to public hydrogen infrastructure
• Investment ready and bankable technology
and projects
• Access to financial sector, banks, pension funds,
EIB, investment funds, EU funds (IPCEI
• Investments in 2X40 GW Electrolyser Capacity
Infrastructure fund, and others)
• Increased industry budgets for hydrogen
• Large scale hydrogen storage facilities
related research and innovation
• Substantial hydrogen R&D and innovation
• More green jobs
budgets
• Realizing faster and cheaper integration of
• Hydrogen market stimulation programs
large-scale renewable electricity
• EU auctions and tenders for renewable
• By importing cheap renewable hydrogen, a
electricity-hydrogen production
competitive sustainable energy system can be
realized cheaper and faster.
• A new, unique and long-lasting mutual
cooperation on political, societal and economic
• A world leading and competitive electrolyser
level between the EU and North Africa needs to be
and renewable hydrogen industry
designed and realized.
There is a unique opportunity for the EU to develop a green hydrogen
economy which will contribute to economic growth, create jobs and to
a sustainable, affordable and fair energy system. Building on this
position, the EU can become the world market leader for electrolysers
and green hydrogen production.
2x40 GW Green Hydrogen Initiative for a European Green Deal
25
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2x40 GW Green Hydrogen Initiative for a European Green Deal
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Appendix
Hydrogen for Climate Action
IPCEI (Important Project of Common European Interest) on Hydrogen
https://www.hydrogen4climateaction.eu/
Hydrogen has been selected by the European Commission as a strategic value chain and is
therefore undergoing a process of managing one or several IPCEI’s on hydrogen. The link
between the existing gas infrastructure and the TEN-T corridors for mobility would create
an excellent basis to develop hydrogen demand for both the industry as well as for mobility
An IPCEI on Hydrogen is being prepared since October 2019. This includes a significant
number of projects in all the areas important for Hydrogen such as
•
Generation of green Hydrogen from Renewable Energy Sources using Electrolysers
•
Transportation of Hydrogen through trucks and railway tube trailers, cargo ships
and pipelines in various packaging forms (liquefied, pressurized, LOHC, NH3, etc)
• the
Mobility sectors using Fuel Cells in heavy duty vehicles (HDVs), public busses,
trains, barges, seagoing vessels, etc. including Hydrogen Refuelling Stations (HRS)
on roads, ports and bus depots
•
Industry applications such as green Steel, Fertilizers, Cement, or production of
industrial heat for many production sectors (mixed with natural gas in varying
percentages), as well as refineries and Hydrogen use in the chemical sector
•
Energy Sector applications such as Temporary and Seasonal Storage, utilization of
curtailed energy to off-load the electricity grid, generators for electricity production
from excess hydrogen
• In the
Housing sector for Combined Heat and Power (CHP) applications, replacing
natural gas in specific applications
• In
end user driven applications such as supermarket chains wishing to green their
logistics or cruise ship lines trying to accommodate customer wishes for clean travel
2x40 GW Green Hydrogen Initiative for a European Green Deal
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Many of the technologies
behind are well developed,
but applications are as of
today not yet commercially
viable, because of the supply
demand dead-lock which
does not bring the hydrogen
prices down to the necessary
level at the desired locations
to
drive
big
volume
applications. In order to break
that deadlock, a kick-start for
the involved technologies and
a massive investment in green
hydrogen
production
is
necessary.
List of Hydrogen IPCEI projects ( as
of November 2019)
• Green Octopus
• Green Spider
• Zero emission Urban Delivery @
rainbow Unhycorn
• White Dragon
• H2Go
• The Orange Camel
• Hybrit
• Black Horse
• Blue Dolphin
• Green Hydrogen @ Blue Danube
• Silver Frog
2x40 GW Green Hydrogen Initiative for a European Green Deal
29
