Competitive and secure renewable hydrogen markets: Three strategic scenarios for the European Union

The European Union (EU) considers renewable hydrogen a key priority for achieving climate neutrality and therefore needs to develop competitive and secure renewable hydrogen supplies. International trade could play a major role in meeting EU hydrogen needs and will require the creation of highly integrated markets between member states. This article analyzes three strategic scenarios in which the EU prioritizes energy inde-pendence, cost optimization, or energy security using an optimization model of interna-tional hydrogen trade based on production potentials and cost curves in EU countries and potential trade partners. The results show that, while the EU could become hydrogen in-dependent, imports from neighboring countries could minimize overall costs despite higher transportation costs. However, imports from neighboring countries may reproduce past energy dependence patterns. Our results show that to limit reliance on a single sup-plier without increasing overall costs, the EU could leverage long-distance imports.(c) 2022 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

The European Union considers renewable hydrogen a key priority and aims to develop competitive and secure supplies. International trade can play a major role in meeting the EU's hydrogen needs and requires highly integrated markets between member states. The study shows that imports from neighboring countries can minimize overall costs despite higher transportation costs.