Picture courtesy of GASCADE
5 Conclusions
This IGI report provides the following main insights:
- Observed hydrogen demand satisfaction and hydrogen price convergence in Europe are enabled by the projects that are included in the respective hydrogen infrastructure levels.
- Every simulation showed hydrogen demand curtailments in Europe, especially in winter.
- Supply and infrastructure in the two hydrogen infrastructure levels are not sufficient on European level. This is indicated by the IGI indicators.
- All European hydrogen corridors considered in the assessments are needed to satisfy hydrogen demand.
- Hydrogen pipelines and storages help to mitigate hydrogen demand curtailments.
- Hydrogen infrastructure bottlenecks exist and are explained in the report.
- Due to the effect of the weather on the demand/supply balance of hydrogen, the European hydrogen backbone benefits from flexibilities in the supply, storage, and transit infrastructure.
- Several countries, especially islands and countries in South-East Europe, are not connected to the European hydrogen backbone in one or both hydrogen infrastructure levels.
- Isolated countries benefit from new connections with the European hydrogen backbone.
- Many projects represent anticipatory investments. They are not fully utilised in 2030 but show high utilisation in 2040. This allows to unlock the significant economies of scale of hydrogen infrastructure projects.
- Even projects that are currently defined as less advanced, especially if increasing exports towards curtailed countries, will be needed.
Thereby, this IGI report is based on the TYNDP 2024 NT+ scenario and the projects submitted to the TYNDP 2024.