H2 – the strongest link in the energy chain? From the research community to the policy world

It is an important step when technologies move along the deployment continuum.  Many remain in the research world, struggling to find their place in the market place.  When I started in energy policy, there was always discussion about hydrogen and its potential to be a major form of sustainable energy.  We are still waiting.

This week an important step was made in Brussels, when the Commission, under the authority of Philip Lowe, Director General for Energy, who set the overall policy scene, hosted a workshop that brought the research, industry and the policy worlds together to discuss the business cases and opportunities that are opening up.  With growing shares of renewables in the energy mix, the issue of intermittence becomes more important, and hydrogen appears as an important option for large scale store (TWhs for weeks). Europe does need to handle the pressure of energy prices, and innovative solutions that help the long-term objective of decarbonisation are required.  The European Union can leave no stone unturned and there is need for a better understanding of what impact hydrogen can have for 2020 and 2030.  While there is significant funding for research, little has progressed beyond that.  Or has is?

From the presentations from such companies as Siemens, e.on, Fiat, Daimler, Air Liquide, Vattenfall, National Grid, Gasunie and many more, example after example brought hope and a bit more clarity.  There are important business opportunities, there is a role for government to support nascent industries and infrastructure needs, there is need for more research.

There is already a strong hydrogen community, with a public-private partnership in the form of the Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (check out its website) that supports research, technological development and demonstration (RTD) activities in fuel cell and hydrogen energy technologies in Europe. Its aim is to accelerate the market introduction of these technologies, realising their potential as an instrument in achieving a carbon-lean energy system.  It works with the industry grouping, NEW IG and the research grouping N.ERGY.  Few outside this circle know about them.  It is time for them to be heard.

There were important issues discussed this week:  blending hydrogen into natural gas networks, power to gas, large scale energy storage for higher RES shares, and many more.  And the applications can be for transport, power generation, industry and buildings.  While these topics are seldom discussed, they should start to be with more earnest.

What does this all mean?  First of all, the Directorate-General for Energy is starting to take this seriously from a policy perspective and not just from a research perspective.  While the Commission has just come out with its Green Paper for 2030, the consultation period is on and it will be important to see how many raise the growing importance of hydrogen. To see if hydrogen, in particular produced from RES, can be the strongest link in the energy chain, we should first avoid being a missing link, and exploit existing synergies with natural gas through appropriate regulations, while pushing enabling policies, research and demonstration in the areas where we need cost reductions for power and mobility, commented Tudor Constantinescu, Principal Adviser at DG ENER, in summing up the day’s discussions.

Not all happens at the EU level.  There is need to increase awareness even at the national, regional and local levels of the role that hydrogen can play.  The workshop this week was only the beginning.  EiD will be following the progress in discussions with great interest.