This document summarizes a study on the feasibility of using direct hydrogen in renewable energy systems. The study models a 100% renewable energy system for Europe using hydrogen in various energy sectors and finds that direct hydrogen increases total system costs in all scenarios. While hydrogen transmission costs are minimal, distribution and fueling infrastructure costs are significant. The study concludes that hydrogen is not practical and that electrons and liquid/gaseous electrofuels may be more suitable vectors for renewable energy than direct hydrogen.

1. Funded by the European Union’s
Horizon 2020 Research and
Innovation Programme under
Grant Agreement no. 846463
7th International Conference on Smart Energy Systems
21-22 September 2021
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THE FEASIBILITY OF DIRECT
HYDROGEN USE IN
RENEWABLE ENERGY SYSTEMS
Andrei David Korberg, Jakob Zinck Thellufsen, Iva
Ridjan Skov, Brian Vad Mathiesen, Henrik Lund

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Hydrogen – the molecule of the future?
Electricity
Industry
Heating
Transport
1970’s Today Future

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Should hydrogen end-fuel replace other renewable
fuels in future renewable energy systems?

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Methodology
• A 100% renewable energy system for Europe
• System built cross-sector integration
• Large amounts of DH and HP
• Makes use of waste heat
• Includes high electrification level in all sectors
• H2 is used in PtX for transport sector
• System uses sustainable amounts of biomass
• Hydrogen replaces other renewable fuels in
each energy sector
• Only green H2 is used
• New H2 related infrastructure costs included
• Offshore wind capacity is used as variable to
balance the hydrogen demand
• Same system boundaries are kept as in the
reference (no energy imports, limited electricity
exports, 40-50% full-load hours electrolysis)
Reference scenario without direct
hydrogen utilization
Scenarios with direct hydrogen
utilization

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Hydrogen for power production
Energy system costs, wind and biomass consumption Fuel consumption in power plants and total installed capacity
Hydrogen replaces green methane from biomass
H2 infra estimated at only 2% of total energy
system costs in the scenario with 1500 TWh H2

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Hydrogen for industry
System costs and biomass consumption
H2 infra estimated at only 1,2% of total energy system costs

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Hydrogen for heating
Energy system costs, wind and biomass consumption

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Hydrogen for transport
Propulsion system distribution and fuelling station
assumptions
Reference scenario Hydrogen scenarios
Hydrogen fuelling stations
assumptions
1 HDV
40% battery electric
60% methanol ICE
1% battery electric
99% H2 fuel cells
60 HDV/station
2 M€/station
2 LDV
50% battery electric
50% methanol ICE
25% battery electric
75% H2 fuel cells
120 LDV/station
1.5 M€/station
3
Buses
50% battery electric
50% methanol ICE
5% battery electric
95% H2 fuel cells
60 buses/station
2 M€/station
Rail
87% direct electric
13% methanol ICE
50% battery electric
50% H2 fuel cells
Not defined
4
Navigation 100% methane ICE
50% methane ICE
50% H2 fuel cells and ICE
Aviation 100% jet fuel turbine
60% jet fuel
40% hydrogen combustion
5 Cars 100% battery electric
35% battery electric
65% H2 fuel cells
200 cars/station
1 M€/station

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Conclusions
Cost of saved biomass in best case scenario for
each energy sector
Hydrogen – the molecule of the future?
• No. The electron is more suited to be the energy vector of
the future.
• Direct hydrogen increases system costs in all scenarios
• Hydrogen transmission cost share is minimal, but
distribution and fueling installations are expensive
• Can be a tool to reduce pressure on biomass consumption
in specific cases, but so can electromethane
• Hydrogen is unpractical
• Despite being less energy-efficient, liquid and gaseous
electrofuels may be more practical

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Funded by the European Union’s
Horizon 2020 Research and
Innovation Programme under
Grant Agreement no. 846463
THANK YOUR FOR
YOUR ATTENTION
Andrei David Korberg, Jakob Zinck Thellufsen, Iva
Ridjan Skov, Brian Vad Mathiesen, Henrik Lund