Adapting the French nuclear fleet to integrate variable renewable energies via the production of hydrogen: Towards massive production of low carbon hydrogen?

Producing low-carbon hydrogen at a competitive rate is becoming a new challenge with respect to efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We examine this issue in the French context, which is characterised by a high nuclear share and the target to increase variable renewables by 2050. The goal is to evaluate the extent to which excess nuclear power could contribute to producing low-carbon hydrogen. Our approach involves designing scenarios for nuclear and renewables, modelling and evaluating the potential nuclear hydrogen production volumes and costs, examining the latter through the scope of hydrogen market attractiveness and evaluating the potential of CO2 mitigation. This article shows that as renewable shares increase, along with the hydrogen market expected growth driven by mobility uses, opportunities are created for the nuclear operator. If nuclear capacities are maintained, nuclear hydrogen production could correspond to the demand by 2030. If not, possibilities could still exist by 2050. (C) 2017 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.