Green hydrogen cost-potentials for global trade

International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, vol. 48, pp. 33062–33076

Abstract

Green hydrogen is expected to be traded globally in future greenhouse gas neutral energy systems. However, there is still a lack of temporally- and spatially-explicit cost-potentials for green hydrogen considering the full process chain, which are necessary for creating effective global strategies. Therefore, this study provides such detailed cost-potential-curves for 28 selected countries worldwide until 2050, using an optimizing energy systems approach based on open-field photovoltaics (PV) and onshore wind. The results reveal huge hydrogen potentials (>1500 PWhLHV/a) and 79 PWhLHV/a at costs below 2.30 EUR/kg in 2050, dominated by solar-rich countries in Africa and the Middle East. Decentralized PV-based hydrogen production, even in wind-rich countries, is always preferred. Supplying sustainable water for hydrogen production is needed while having minor impact on hydrogen cost. Additional costs for imports from democratic regions are only total 7% higher. Hence, such regions could boost the geostrategic security of supply for greenhouse gas neutral energy systems.

Authors 9

1. David Franzmann corresponding Aachen Chair for Fuel Cells Faculty of Mechanical Engineering

   Forschungszentrum Jülich · RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Institute of Energy and Climate Research – Techno- Economic Systems Analysis (IEK-3), 52425 Jülich, Germany

   RWTH Aachen University, Chair for Fuel Cells, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, 52062 Aachen, Germany

2. Heidi Heinrichs

   Forschungszentrum Jülich

   Affiliation as printed

   Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Institute of Energy and Climate Research – Techno- Economic Systems Analysis (IEK-3), 52425 Jülich, Germany

3. Felix Lippkau

   University of Stuttgart

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Energy Economics and Rational Energy Use (IER), University of Stuttgart, 70565 Stuttgart, Germany

4. Thushara Addanki

   Technical University of Munich

   Affiliation as printed

   Chair of Renewable and Sustainable Energy Systems - TU Munich

5. Patrick Buchenberg

   Technical University of Munich

   Affiliation as printed

   Chair of Renewable and Sustainable Energy Systems - TU Munich

6. Thomas Hamacher

   Technical University of Munich

   Affiliation as printed

   Chair of Renewable and Sustainable Energy Systems - TU Munich

7. Markus Blesl

   University of Stuttgart

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Energy Economics and Rational Energy Use (IER), University of Stuttgart, 70565 Stuttgart, Germany

8. Jochen Linßen

   Forschungszentrum Jülich

   Affiliation as printed

   Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Institute of Energy and Climate Research – Techno- Economic Systems Analysis (IEK-3), 52425 Jülich, Germany

9. Detlef Stolten Aachen Chair for Fuel Cells Faculty of Mechanical Engineering

   Forschungszentrum Jülich · RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Institute of Energy and Climate Research – Techno- Economic Systems Analysis (IEK-3), 52425 Jülich, Germany

   RWTH Aachen University, Chair for Fuel Cells, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, 52062 Aachen, Germany