Green hydrogen cost-potentials for global trade
David Franzmann, Heidi Heinrichs, Felix Lippkau, Thushara Addanki, Christoph Winkler, Patrick Buchenberg, Thomas Hamacher, Markus Blesl, Jochen Linßen, Detlef Stolten
Abstract
Green hydrogen is expected to be traded globally in future greenhouse gas neutral energy systems. However, there is still a lack of temporally- and spatially-explicit cost-potentials for green hydrogen considering the full process chain, which are necessary for creating effective global strategies. Therefore, this study provides such detailed cost-potential-curves for 28 selected countries worldwide until 2050, using an optimizing energy systems approach based on open-field photovoltaics (PV) and onshore wind. The results reveal huge hydrogen potentials (>1500 PWhLHV/a) and 79 PWhLHV/a at costs below 2.30 EUR/kg in 2050, dominated by solar-rich countries in Africa and the Middle East. Decentralized PV-based hydrogen production, even in wind-rich countries, is always preferred. Supplying sustainable water for hydrogen production is needed while having minor impact on hydrogen cost. Additional costs for imports from democratic regions are only total 7% higher. Hence, such regions could boost the geostrategic security of supply for greenhouse gas neutral energy systems.