The European Union's future hydrogen strategy should give priority to 'green' hydrogen, but will include a bridging role for 'blue' hydrogen, according to a European Commission document obtained by EUROPE on Friday 29 May. “Grey’ hydrogen will be excluded.
While the document stresses that these concepts should be clearly defined in the strategy, it is generally accepted that the first one refers to hydrogen produced by electrolysers powered by 100% renewable electricity. Blue hydrogen and grey hydrogen generally refer to hydrogen produced from natural gas, combined with carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies, and hydrogen produced from fossil fuels, respectively.
Scheduled for 24 June in the form of a Commission Communication, alongside the presentation of the strategy for smart sector integration (see EUROPE 12485/11), the EU's hydrogen strategy should “follow a value chain approach, looking at the entire ecosystem”, the document says.
The strategy would thus cover both supply - how to accelerate production - and demand - how to develop efficient markets and put in place the infrastructure needed to transport large quantities of hydrogen.
The ultimate goal is to develop a “hydrogen economy in Europe”, the document states.
According to the Commission, a European approach is now needed in order to limit the risk that the adoption of strategies at national level could lead to an uncoordinated and fragmented European hydrogen market.
The document also recalls the Commission's willingness to focus on sectors which are very difficult to decarbonise (for which electrification is impossible or too costly), citing in particular heavy transport (trucks, buses, coaches), aviation, maritime transport, trains, but also the steel, chemical and cement industries.
As regards the measures envisaged under this strategy, the document mentions notably the possible granting of the status of 'Important Project of Common European Interest' (IPCEI) to certain hydrogen projects, thus allowing them to benefit from public support.
Another measure that could be taken is the creation of a hydrogen window within the Innovation Fund.
To consult the document: https://bit.ly/2TRpwdB (Original version in French by Damien Genicot)