Workshop of the BMWK project "H2-Ready" - Presentation of the concluding results by EWI and TU Dresden

On August 1, 2024, the final workshop of the BMWK project "H2-Ready" took place, at which the project partners of the Institute of Energy Economics at the University of Cologne (EWI) and the Chair of Energy Economics at TU Dresden (ee²) presented the results of their research project H2-Ready, which has been running since 2021. The workshop offered a comprehensive classification of the project's activities in the current state of the transformation of the energy system.

Prof. Möst opened the event with a presentation of the work packages and resulting publications that were developed during the project. After this overview of the project content, Dr. Ann-Kathrin Klaaß (EWI) followed with a detailed presentation of the regulatory challenges and the associated coordination problems for the ramp-up of the hydrogen economy in Germany.

Hendrik Scharf and Dr. Maximilian Happach (both ee²) then presented the results of their work packages. Scharf presented a hydrogen price forecast for the year 2050 and explained the methodology for calculating hydrogen demand based on CO₂ abatement costs. Dr. Happach presented the methodology for regionalizing hydrogen demand and showed how this can be applied to site-specific locations.

In the last block of the workshop, the model results were presented by Felix Schäfer and Jan Kopp (both EWI). Schäfer presented the results from the SPIDER model and showed forecasts for the use of electrolysers in Germany. Kopp supplemented this presentation with an analysis of the effects on the hydrogen network, based on the TIGER model.

For the 69 participants, the workshop provided an in-depth insight into the various aspects of the hydrogen economy and the challenges that need to be overcome for a successful ramp-up in Germany. The results and models presented provide valuable insights for the transformation of the energy system.

The following publications have already appeared from the BMWK "H2-Ready" project:

• Scharf H, Sauerbrey O, Möst D (2022) Defossilisation of the industrial sector - A techno-economic bottom-up approach to determining CO₂ abatement costs. In: 2022 18th International Conference on the European Energy Market (EEM). IEEE, Ljubljana, Slovenia, S 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1109/EEM54602.2022.9921043.
• Kopp J, Moritz M, Scharf H, Schmidt J (2022) Strukturwandel in der Gaswirtschaft – Was bedeutet die Entwicklung der Gas- und Wasserstoffnachfrage für die zukünftige Infrastruktur?: Eine Metaanalyse bestehender Energiesystemstudien. Z Energiewirtsch. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12398-022-00335-2
• Zinke J (2023): Two prices fix all? On the Robustness of a German Bidding Zone Split. EWI Working Paper, No 07/23. ISSN: 1862-3808. Verfügbar auf der Webseite des EWI.
• Schlund D (2023): Integrating Cross-Border Hydrogen Infrastructure in European Natural Gas Networks: A Comprehensive Optimization Approach. EWI Working Paper, No 08/23. ISSN: 1862-3808. Verfügbar auf der Webseite des EWI.
• Bühler L, Möst D, Scharf H (2023) Grüner Wasserstoff: Wie steht es um die Wirtschaftlichkeit und welche Nachfrage lässt sich erwarten? ifo Dresden berichtet, 2023, 30, Nr. 4, 16-22. https://www.ifo.de/DocDL/ifoDD_23-04_16-22_Buehler.pdf.
• Scharf H, Möst D (2024) Gas power — How much is needed on the road to carbon neutrality? Energy Policy 187:114026. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2024.114026
• Scharf H, Sauerbrey O, Möst D (2024) What will be the hydrogen and power demands of the process industry in a climate-neutral Germany? Journal of Cleaner Production 466:142354. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2024.142354.