Hydrogen economy
Hydrogen production and certain key hydrogen technologies rely on the special catalytic properties of platinum group metals (PGMs).Read more about the essential role of PGMs in the hydrogen value chain in our joint briefing note to the IEA Critical Minerals and Clean Energy Summit.
Fuel cells are a rapidly developing energy conversion technology. Offering higher efficiencies than conventional technologies, they also operate quietly. Their modular construction means they can be economically and easily scaled down to small sizes to fit many applications.
These features make fuel cells attractive for a range of potential applications, from combined heat and power (CHP) to distributed power generation to transport and portable power for mobile appliances.
The IPA is a member of the European Clean Hydrogen Alliance, a European Union initiative launched to support the introduction of hydrogen within the EU. The aim of this Alliance is to make EU leading within the hydrogen area and to utilize hydrogen and hydrogen technologies to support EU’s ambition to become carbon neutral by 2050.
IPA contributes to the work of the Alliance through its expertise in hydrogen use for energy systems and hydrogen mobility, and by providing life cycle information when it comes to GHG performane of hydrogen production installations.
The EU's Hydrogen Strategy
On 8th July 2020, the European Commission unveiled its Hydrogen Strategy and officially launched the European Clean Hydrogen Alliance to deliver on it.
- For Europe, hydrogen is essential to supporting the EU’s commitment to reach carbon neutrality by 2050 and for the global effort to implement the Paris Agreement while working towards zero pollution.
- Hydrogen is seen as a potential silver bullet to decarbonise hard-to-abate industrial sectors like steel and chemicals, which currently rely on fossil fuels and cannot easily switch to electricity.
- Hydrogen is also seen as a long-term solution for shipping, aviation and heavy-duty road transport where electrification is not feasible at the moment.
- Although the primary aim is heavy duty transport, the EU will increase the number of hydrogen filling stations to supply hydrogen to end-consumers, potentially supporting a broader use of fuel cell vehicles.
- According to some analysts, these developments in the hydrogen sector are providing a positive medium-term demand signal for several metals, including platinum, chromium and nickel.
The Hydrogen Strategy is essentially a roadmap for the mass production and integration of hydrogen energy. The priority is to develop renewable hydrogen (‘green hydrogen’), produced using mainly wind and solar energy. However, in the short and medium-term other forms of low-carbon hydrogen (e.g. carbon capture and storage) are needed to rapidly reduce emissions and support the development of a viable market.To support the cleanest available technologies, the Commission will work to introduce common standards, terminology and certification, based on life-cycle carbon emissions, anchored in existing climate and energy legislation, and in line with the EU taxonomy for sustainable investments.
The Commission will propose policy and regulatory measures to create investor certainty, facilitate the uptake of hydrogen, promote the necessary infrastructure and logistical networks, adapt infrastructure planning tools, and support investments, in particular through the Next Generation EU recovery plan.
This will include efforts to secure raw materials needed for hydrogen production.
To help deliver on this hydrogen strategy, the Commission launched the European Clean Hydrogen Alliance with industry leaders, civil society, national and regional ministers and the European Investment Bank. The Alliance will build up an investment pipeline for scaled-up production and will support demand for clean hydrogen in the EU.