The Role of Hydrogen in the EU 27 Industries: Challenges and Opportunities
Key Ideas
- The report emphasizes the importance of clean hydrogen production in Europe for decarbonization in industries like refining and chemicals.
- Current hydrogen production processes pose both challenges and opportunities for the EU to decarbonize heavy industry.
- The focus is on shifting from supply-focused debates to considering demand centers and infrastructure investments for clean hydrogen.
- Electrolytic hydrogen production is seen as a key factor in the future, requiring immediate investments in infrastructure to meet demand.
This report delves into the pivotal role of hydrogen within the industries of the EU 27, specifically in refining and chemicals. It underscores the necessity for clean hydrogen production in Europe going forward. By analyzing data from 2023, the report highlights the current scale of hydrogen production and the processes involved, showing both challenges and opportunities for decarbonizing heavy industry. It calls for a shift in focus from abstract figures to the actual locations of hydrogen consumers and the nature of relevant industries in each country. The report points out the existing reliance on natural gas by hydrogen producers and the need to consider infrastructure investments to bring clean hydrogen to demand centers. Even with the potential dominance of electrolytic hydrogen production in the future, immediate investments are required in infrastructure, including decarbonizing the electric grid, to facilitate the transition. Overall, the report advocates for a comprehensive approach to address the demand for clean hydrogen in industry and highlights the essential role it will play in the decarbonization efforts of the EU.