Hydrogen should be promoted as part of EU coronavirus exit strategy: industry

The role that hydrogen can play in Europe's energy system should be encouraged by market players with an increased urgency, industry officials said Tuesday, as the coronavirus crisis opens up the opportunity for a more rapid pathway to decarbonization.

Speaking during a webinar organized by EU gas industry body Eurogas, officials agreed that the recently launched European Industrial Strategy could be revisited to take into account changes in market dynamics since the coronavirus outbreak.

Related infographic: Sustainable hydrogen: blue and green pathways to decarbonisation

The strategy -- launched on March 10 -- lays out Brussels' plans to make industry greener in line with the EU's 2050 climate neutrality goal while at the same time safeguarding the EU's industrial competitiveness.

Part of the strategy will be the launch later this year of the Clean Hydrogen Alliance, designed to bring together governments, regulators, industry and investors to work on decarbonizing industry more quickly using hydrogen.

Eurogas Secretary General James Watson said during the webinar that there was a new urgency brought on by the coronavirus crisis on what should be done to accelerate decarbonization.

"There needs to be a stronger focus on what we want to come out of the COVID-19 era," Watson said.

Demand for energy has plunged due to the lockdown measures introduced by governments across Europe.

European Parliament member Christophe Grudler said during the webinar that it would be crucial to maintain the aim of carbon neutrality in any European recovery plan.

"The post-COVID-19 recovery plan in Europe must support carbon-neutral industry," Grudler said.

Gas grid hydrogen

Development director at electrolyzer specialist ITM Power, Marcus Newborough, said gas grid operators should push now for the blending of hydrogen into their pipelines to accelerate the hydrogen agenda.

"Gas grid operators can invite that solution to be applied -- we need sectors to encourage and strengthen that route forward," Newborough said.

He also said he would support a reconsideration of the EU's industrial strategy given the coronavirus crisis.

"Policymakers can use the exit strategy of COVID-19 as the commencement strategy of decarbonization," he said. "It is important to try to harness that."

Marko Vainikka, director, corporate relations and sustainability at energy solutions company Wartsila, agreed that the industrial strategy could be revised.

"This pandemic has changed a lot -- we need a clear further strategy of what is needed," Vainikka said.

"There is an opportunity for certain developments -- making them faster and deciding what pathway to commit to," he said.

The use of hydrogen to be blended with natural gas and biogas has been long touted as a key step toward decarbonization in Europe, but Newborough said there was a need now for action.

"There is a danger in hesitation and not doing things. It's taking society a long time to switch, but the need is very urgent. The EC needs to start making things happen in Europe," he said.

Clean Hydrogen Alliance

MEP Grudler said during the webinar that the Clean Hydrogen Alliance was a key initiative for the promotion of hydrogen use in Europe.

It will build on existing work to identify technology needs, investment opportunities and regulatory barriers and enablers.

"The alliance should have 27 countries involved including SMEs, start-ups," he said.

Grudler also agreed that the gas grid could carry a mix of gases and that studies had shown hydrogen could be blended at up to 20%.

"It is best to have a mix of gas in the pipelines -- biogas, hydrogen, natural gas -- we can have them together," he said.

ITM's Newborough said there could be some limitations on the use of hydrogen for larger-scale processes such as power generation, but that use in local grids for residential use should be achievable.

"When you know the downstream users are mainly boilers and cooking equipment, there is no problem at all injecting low concentration hydrogen," he said, adding that even 34% hydrogen could work.

Given that the effects of hydrogen being transmitted via bigger transmission pipelines -- for example how it could impact on compressor stations -- are not yet clear, Newborough said he would advocate a bottom-up approach.

Overall, he said, Europe was well-placed to develop a hydrogen-based economy.

"Look at the pieces of the jigsaw -- large amounts of renewables nearby, leading electrolyzer companies in Europe and a large grid network," he said.