Renewable hydrogen, also called green hydrogenIt is an energy sector that comes from renewable sources and without co -emissions2. The use of renewable hydrogen, together with low renewable carbon fingerprint fuels, is essential for carbon.
The H2MED project is a passect initiative with which the hydrogen transport network of the Iberian peninsula can be connected to the northwest. This initiative was launched by France, Spain and Portugal, with strong support from Germany and is promoted by transport networks (TSO) of these countries: Enagás, Grtgaz, Ogee, Ren and Teréga.
But now a report shows that only a very small part of the announced announced of the ambitious green hydrogen has been built. It also states that European plans on this fuel are “far from science”according to Global Energy Monitor.
Europe has lived the green hydrogen fever in recent years. This technology, still in a first development phase, is generated from renewable energy and is called to replace fossil fuels in sectors that are difficult to electrify, such as heavy industry or transport.
Spain is one of the most destroyed countries in this energy source, and in 2022 it promoted an ambitious project to wear with a top in style Green hydrogen Between Barcelona and Marseille by an underwater channel, first baptized as Bar And then fun H2MED.
But despite the extensive infrastructure that has been announced and promised by European countries, the reality is that green hydrogen can still prevent far from on a large scale. This ensures that all this structure continues for a few years, or useless or at the gas serviceAccording to a report published by Global Energy MonitorAn organization that evaluates the progress of energy projects worldwide.
Is it an attempt to perpetuate European gas dependence?
The study document 96 Electric gas factories with the ability to burn hydrogen, 12 projects to expand liquid natural gas (LNG) or to convert it into the import of hydrogen derivatives and 323 new and modernized gas pipes to transport hydrogen along 50,000 kilometers through Europe. “But only a fraction of the projects has demonstrated progress after he has been presented” And most are nothing more than “concepts”, according to the report.
«European plans look like hydrogen, In the best case, far from science and economic reality of this fuel And, in the worst, An attempt at the oil and gas industry to extend European gas dependence«, Warn the analysts of the Global Energy Monitor.
This fuel is produced by water electrolysis, which separates the hydrogen from the water molecule, that is, the H of the Hepero. But this process can be carried out with fossil energies -Gray, black or brown, nuclear hidrogen or renewable energy sources -Green. The latter is the one in an earlier phase of research and developmentSo much of this fiancé green infrastructure could be used in the short term for gas or hydrogen produced with polluting energies.
Are hydrogen companies that use Greenwashing?
Half of the energy production plant projects of hydrogen They don’t even have a planned start year And only a very small part of this has insured contracts or financing for fuel supply.
As for Hyrrods, the European Commission It offers financing for more than 22,000 kilometers of infrastructure, but many of them are «Virtually identical to old pipeline projects»Which suggests that “gas companies can use hydrogen to harvest support.” Only one of these hydrons is under construction, she adds.
And about projects to adjust the current LNG terminals to others who are able to receive hydrogen, the report indicates that that “None” of this has begun to be built Or has received a final investment decision.
Spain, the second country that has projected the most pipes
With projects such as H2Med, Spain is in second place – just behind Germany – among the leading countries They are planning to develop new hydrogen channels.
Experts doubt this investor for building new infrastructure and, however, recommends, however, Focus efforts on focusing the production where it is needed, without it being necessary to transport it. “Spain and Europe in general must take into account their first hydrogen plans,” says David Cebon, a mechanical engineering professor at the University of Cambridge and member of the Group of Independent Experts Hydrogen Science Coalition.
«Instead of the development of an expensive and extensive hydrogen transport network without supporting suppliers or proven customers, countries must focus their efforts to support the increase in local renewable hydrogen production for specific use in which a demand is already demonstrated: The industrial sectors in which hydrogen from fossil fuels are used nowadays“, He points out.
The report comes only one day after the announcement of the government, Pedro Sánchez, from a game of 400 million euros to cover projects related to this technology that were omitted from the last call of European aid.
A ‘hangover’ after “enthusiasm” for hydrogen
A recent study published in Nature Energy Magazine pointed out last year that the “enthusiasm” phase for Green Hydrogen had come to an end. This first phase, promoted by the energy crisis after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, motivated millionaire investments in the United States, with the Act on Inflation Reduction (IRA) and in the European Union, with the European Bank of Hydrogen. Instead, the world was two years later in a period of “consolidation”, since then “High costs, limited demand and delay in the application of the support policy hinders their commitment”.
The authors calculated that, in order to limit global heating to 1.5 ° C above pre -industrial levels, as requested. And for this, the production of green hydrogen must be multiplied by 380, that is, more than bending more than every year.
According to the study, led by Postdam Institute for Climate Impact ResearchThe implementation rate is much lower: In 2023, only 7% of the projects ended on time. Given the gap in the implementation, political leaders must therefore prepare for a Long -term greenness of green hydrogen ».
“Political support must invest in investments Green hydrogenBut must concentrate on the applications on which the Green hydrogen It is indispensable », such as industrial use, the authors have pointed out, which point to the “Excess of trust” of politicians for the role of this technology, If it will hardly represent between 5% and 15% in the final use of energy in the future.