Fraunhofer Research Institution for Energy Infrastructures and Geothermal Systems IEGGermany is planning to develop a hydrogen economy. To make this development sustainable and future-proof, the proposed projects primarily address the key issues of developing a hydrogen economy in Germany from a scientific perspective and highlight pathways for the future use of hydrogen technologies for politics and industry. The international dimension is taken into account too.
H2 D
A hydrogen economy for Germany
Structure of the overall project and addressing the hydrogen value chain through focuses 1 to 4.
Aim of the project
The project addresses all of the key elements of developing a hydrogen economy in four focus areas: these include the production of hydrogen using electrolysis (focus 2) and a secure infrastructure and safe technologies (focus 3) for its transport, storage, distribution and use. There are many areas of application of hydrogen. The project therefore aims to investigate selected, highly relevant example applications from industry and trade, with their design and operation optimised on the basis of digital twins. In the focus point H2DIGITAL (focus 4), key components of the value chain are depicted in a model-based manner and a cross-Fraunhofer coherent data and model space for a future hydrogen economy is created.
The systemic overall consideration (focus 1) forms a bubble around the focus points mentioned and includes the future hydrogen economy and the integration of this into the entire energy system and the development of this. One key outcome of this overall consideration is a high spatial resolution atlas of potential for a German hydrogen economy with all sources and sinks and the manner in which these are linked by material transport and distribution structures, including various storage systems and the connection to international delivery chains. Focus is, therefore, in particular on the issue of the percentage of hydrogen that needs to be imported to eliminate the use of fossil fuels in domestic sectors.
The main target markets are both plant manufacturers and infrastructure operators and companies in the raw material industry and manufacturing industries in Germany and Europe. Manufacturers of electrolysers will benefit from the reduction in costs in electrolysis as a result of new materials. Infrastructure investors and operators can reduce uncertainty in future investment decisions significantly on the basis of new optimisation models. Companies in the raw material industry and energy suppliers can plan the conversion of industrial locations in a targeted manner and optimise the operation of plants for hydrogen use and generation. There is therefore a market for this project at almost all levels of the value chain of a future hydrogen economy.