Policy & Socio-Economics

Climate change and the pressure to decarbonize as well as energy security concerns have drawn the attention of policymakers and the industry to hydrogen energy. To advance the hydrogen economy at a global scale research and innovation progress is of significant importance among others. However previous studies have provided only limited quantitative evidence of the effects of research and innovation on the formation of a global hydrogen market. Instead they postulate rather than empirically support this relationship. Therefore this study analyzes the effects of research and innovation measured by scientific publications patents and standards on bilateral hydrogen trade flows for 32 countries between 1995 and 2019 in a gravity model of trade using regression analyses and Poisson Pseudo Maximum Likelihood (PPML) estimation. The main results of the PPML estimation show that research and innovation progress is indeed associated with increased trade especially with patenting and (international) standardization enhancing hydrogen export volumes. As policy implications we derive that increased public R&D funding can help increase the competitiveness of hydrogen energy and boost market growth along with infrastructure support and harmonized standards and regulations.

In order to achieve the ambitious goal of “carbon neutrality” countries around the world are striving to develop clean energy. Against this background this paper takes China and Italy as representatives of developing and developed countries to summarize the energy structure composition and development overview of the two countries. The paper analyzes the serious challenges facing the future energy development of both countries and investigates the possibilities of energy cooperation between the two countries taking into account their respective advantages in energy development. By comparing the policies issued by the two governments to encourage clean energy development this paper analyzes the severe challenges faced by the two countries’ energy development in the future and combines their respective energy development advantages to look forward to the possibility of energy cooperation between the two countries in the future. This lays the foundation for China and Italy to build an “Energy Road” after the “Silk Road”.

Life cycle assessment which evaluates the complete life cycle of a product is considered the standard methodological framework to evaluate the environmental performance of climate change solutions. However significant challenges exist related to datasets used to quantify these environmental indicators. Although extensive research and commercial data on climate change technologies pathways and facilities exist they are not readily available to practitioners of life cycle assessment in the right format and structure using an open platform. In this study we propose a new open data hub platform for life cycle assessment considering a hierarchical data flow starting with raw data collected on climate change technologies at laboratory pilot demonstration or commercial scales to provide the information required for policy and decision-making. This platform makes data accessible at multiple levels for practitioners of life cycle assessment while making data interoperable across platforms. The proposed data hub platform and workflow are explained through the polymer electrolyte membrane electrolysis hydrogen production as a case study. The climate change environment impact of 1.17 ± 0.03 kg CO2 eq./kg H2 was calculated for the case study. The current data hub platform is limited to evaluating environmental impacts; however future additions of economic and social aspects are envisaged.

Hydrogen primarily produced from steam methane reforming plays a crucial role in oil refining and provides a solution for the oil and gas industry's long-term energy transition by reducing CO2 emissions. This paper examines hydrogen’s role in this transition. Firstly experiences from oil and gas exploration including in-situ gasification can be leveraged for hydrogen production from subsurface natural hydrogen reservoirs. The produced hydrogen can serve as fuel for generating steam and heat for thermal oil recovery. Secondly hydrogen can be blended into gas for pipeline transportation and used as an alternative fuel for oil and gas hauling trucks. Additionally hydrogen can be stored underground in depleted gas fields. Lastly oilfield water can be utilized for hydrogen production using geothermal energy from subsurface oil and gas fields. Scaling up hydrogen production faces challenges such as shared use of oil and gas infrastructures increased carbon tax for promoting blue hydrogen and the introduction of financial incentives for hydrogen production and consumption hydrogen leakage prevention and detection.

Hydrogen has emerged as a promising climate-neutral energy carrier able to facilitate the processes of the European Union (EU) energy transition. Green hydrogen production through the electrolysis process has gained increasing interest recently for application in various sectors of the economy. As a result of the increasing renewable energy developments in the EU hydrogen is seen as one of the most promising solutions for energy storage challenges; therefore the leading countries in the energy sector are heavily investing in research of the technical obstacles for hydrogen applications and assessment of the current hydrogen market which in turn leads to the acceleration of the upscaling of hydrogen production. The main objective of this article was to provide a comprehensive overview of various green hydrogen production transportation and industrial application technologies and challenges in Europe with a separate analysis of the situation in Lithuania. Various water electrolysis technologies and their production costs are investigated along with recent developments in storage and transportation solutions. In addition the performances and limitations of electrochemical processes are presented and analysed research trends in the field are discussed and possible solutions for performance and cost improvements are overviewed. This paper proposes a discussion of perspectives in terms of future applications and research directions.

Hydrogen (2 ) has a big role to play in energy transition to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. For 2 to compete with other fuels in the energy market more research is required to mitigate key issues like greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions safety and end-use costs. For these reasons a software-supported technical overview of 2 production storage transportation and utilisation is introduced. Drawbacks and mitigation approaches for 2 technologies were highlighted. The recommended areas include solar thermal or renewable-powered plasma systems for feedstock preheating and oxy-hydrogen combustion to meet operating temperatures and heat duties due to losses; integration of electrolysis of 2 into hydrocarbon reforming methods to replace air separation unit (ASU); use of renewable power sources for electrical units and the introduction of thermoelectric units to maximise the overall efficiency. Furthermore a battolyser system for small-scale energy storage; new synthetic hydrides with lower absorption and desorption energy; controlled parameters and steam addition to the combustor/cylinder and combustors with fitted heat exchangers to reduce emissions and improve the overall efficiency are also required. This work also provided detailed information on any of these systems implementations based on location factors and established a roadmap for 2 production and utilisation. The proposed 2 production technologies are hybrid pyrolysis-electrolysis and integrated AD-MEC and DR systems using renewable bioelectrochemical and low-carbon energy systems. Production and utilisation of synthetic natural gas (NG) using renewablepowered electrolysis of 2 oxy-fuel and direct air capture (DAC) is another proposed 2 energy system for a sustainable 2 economy. By providing these factors and information researchers can work towards pilot development and further efficiency enhancement.

Green hydrogen is a promising alternative to fossil fuels. However current production capacities for electrolyzers and green hydrogen are not in line with national political goals and projected demand. Considering these issues we conducted semi-structured interviews to determine the narratives of different stakeholders during this transformation as well as challenges and opportunities for the green hydrogen value chain. We interviewed eight experts with different roles along the green hydrogen value chain ranging from producers and consumers of green hydrogen to electrolyzer manufacturers and consultants as well as experts from the political sphere. Most experts see the government as necessary for scale-up by setting national capacity targets policy support and providing subsidies. However the experts also accuse the governments of delaying development through overregulation and long implementation times for regulations. The main challenges that were identified are the current lack of renewable electricity and demand for green hydrogen. Demand for green hydrogen is influenced by supply costs which partly depend on prices for electrolyzers. However one key takeaway of the interviews is the skeptical assessments by the experts on the currently discussed estimates for price reduction potential of electrolyzers. While demand supply and prices are all factors that influence each other they result in feedback loops in investment decisions for the energy and manufacturing industries. A second key takeaway is that according to the experts current investment decisions in new production capacities are not solely dependent on short-term financial gains but also based on expected first mover advantages. These include experience and market share which are seen as factors for opportunities for future financial gains. Summarized the results present several challenges and opportunities for green hydrogen and electrolyzers and how to address them effectively. These insights contribute to a deeper understanding of the dynamics of the emerging green hydrogen value chain.

Technological change is often seen as part of the solution to problems of global sustainability. A wide-ranging literature on how path dependent—often fossil fuel-based—socio-technical configurations can be overcome by more sustainable configurations has emerged over the last two decades. One potential transition pathway to transform electricity heat and mobility systems as well as industrial production is the use of hydrogen. In recent years hydrogen has received increasing attention as part of decarbonisation strategies in many countries as well as by international organisations such as the International Energy Agency or the International Renewable Energy Agency. Also in Germany it has become a central component of climate change policy and is seen by some actors almost as a kind of panacea where the use of hydrogen is expected to decarbonise a wide range of sectors. Policy makers have the ambition for Germany to become a leader in hydrogen development and therefore help to contribute to what Grubler called ‘grand patterns of technological change’. The aim of this paper is to analyse whether relevant actors share expectations for transition pathways based on hydrogen which would foster wide diffusion. Our empirical analysis shows that there are multiple contested pathways both in terms of how hydrogen is produced as well as in which applications or sectors it is to be used. This causes uncertainty and slows down hydrogen developments in Germany. We contribute to an emerging literature on the politics of contested transition pathways and also critically engage with Grubler’s ‘grand patterns’ argument. Results support the idea that the concept of socio-technical pathways allows to expose tensions between competing values and interests. The German government is under considerable pressure regarding competing visions on hydrogen transition pathways. A targeted political prioritisation of hydrogen applications could mitigate tensions and support a shared vision.

This research analyzed the impact of green hydrogen (GH) on the dynamics of combating climate change (CC) in Peru for the year 2024 contributing to Sustainable Development Goal 7 focused on affordable and clean energy. The study quantitative and non-experimental in nature used a cross-sectional design and focused on a sample composed of public and private sector officials energy experts and academics evaluating their perception and knowledge about GH and its application in climate policies. The data collection instrument showed good internal consistency with a Cronbach’s alpha value of 0.793. The results revealed that although the adoption of GH is in its early stages it is already considered a vital component in national CC mitigation strategies. A medium positive correlation was identified using the Spearman coefficient (0.418) between GH usage and the effectiveness of mitigation policies as well as its capacity to influence public awareness and promote interinstitutional cooperation. Furthermore it was concluded that the success of GH largely depends on the strengthening of regulatory frameworks investment in infrastructure and the promotion of strategic alliances to facilitate its integration into the national energy matrix. These findings highlight the importance of continuing to develop public policies that promote the use of GH ensuring its sustainability and effectiveness in the fight against climate change in Peru.

The transformation of fossil fuel-based power generation systems towards greenhouse gas-neutral ones based on renewable energy sources is one of the key challenges facing contemporary society. The temporal volatility that accompanies the integration of renewable energy (e.g. solar radiation and wind) must be compensated to ensure that at any given time a sufficient supply of electrical energy for the demands of different sectors is available. Green hydrogen which is produced using renewable energy sources via electrolysis can be used to chemically store electrical energy on a seasonal basis. Reconversion technologies are needed to generate electricity from stored hydrogen during periods of low renewable electricity generation. This study presents a detailed technoeconomic assessment of hydrogen gas turbines. These technologies are also superior to fuel cells due to their comparatively low investment costs especially when it comes to covering the residual loads. As of today hydrogen gas turbines are only available in laboratory or small-scale settings and have no market penetration or high technology readiness level. The primary focus of this study is to analyze the effects on gas turbine component costs when hydrogen is used instead of natural gas. Based on these findings an economic analysis addressing the current state of these turbine components is conducted. A literature review on the subsystems is performed considering statements from leading manufactures and researchers to derive the cost deviations and total cost per installed capacity (€/kWel). The results reveal that a hydrogen gas turbine power plant has an expected cost increase of 8.5% compared to a conventional gas turbine one. This leads to an average cost of 542.5 €/kWel for hydrogen gas turbines. For hydrogen combined cycle power plants the expected cost increase corresponds to the cost of the gas turbine system as the steam turbine subsystem remains unaffected by fuel switching. Additionally power plant retrofit potentials were calculated and the respective costs in the case of an upgrade were estimated. For Germany as a case study for an industrialized country the potential of a possible retrofit is between 2.7 and 11.4 GW resulting to a total investment between 0.3 and 1.1 billion €.