98
7 Discussion
Hydrogen has been identified by the APAC markets as a key element of
the future global energy landscape. Policies to support the development of the
hydrogen economy are developed. Australia, South-Korea, and Japan have established ambitious hydrogen strategies and roadmaps supporting the development
of a hydrogen economy in the two following decades. China and Taiwan have
recognized the importance of the hydrogen in the future energy landscape.
The APAC markets have different positioning in the hydrogen value chain.
While Australia ambitions to be a global leader in hydrogen exportation, Japan
and South-Korea are investing in the development of downstream technologies
such as FCEVs, fuel cells, and other heat and power applications. China is present
at all steps of the hydrogen value chain while Taiwan is not yet clearly positioned.
The research work has investigated the future potential for decarbonisation of
each of the APAC markets. With the renewable electricity generation targets at
2030, the results show even if the entirety of the renewable electricity produced
would be devoted to renewable hydrogen production, none of the APAC markets
could cover their national hydrogen demand, at the exception of Taiwan. Consequently, if only the curtailed renewable electricity generation would be used,
that would not be enough to satisfy the hydrogen demand of the APAC markets. The use of the power-to-gas systems would not be viable from an economic
standpoint.
The first finding is that the current renewable energy policy frameworks of the
APAC markets are not designed to support a deep decarbonisation of the industry
sectors falling under the research scope. Even at the horizon 2030, the renewable
electricity generation would not suffice the hydrogen demand.
Taking the analogy of the “sector coupling” described above, if the APAC
markets renewable energy policy frameworks were one sector and their respective
hydrogen policy frameworks were another sector, the research work shows that
those two sectors are “not-coupled” or “de-coupled”.
Overview
This answer the main research question: What is the influence and impact of the
renewable energy policies on the decarbonisation of industry sectors using fossil
fuel-based hydrogen?
Currently the influence and impact are limited to inexistent.
This implies that, unless future changes of the current policies, any additional
renewable energy capacity required to produce renewable hydrogen would be
subsidy-free, unfavourably increasing the price gap between the fossil fuel-based
and the renewable hydrogen production.
7 Discussion
Hydrogen has been identified by the APAC markets as a key element of
the future global energy landscape. Policies to support the development of the
hydrogen economy are developed. Australia, South-Korea, and Japan have established ambitious hydrogen strategies and roadmaps supporting the development
of a hydrogen economy in the two following decades. China and Taiwan have
recognized the importance of the hydrogen in the future energy landscape.
The APAC markets have different positioning in the hydrogen value chain.
While Australia ambitions to be a global leader in hydrogen exportation, Japan
and South-Korea are investing in the development of downstream technologies
such as FCEVs, fuel cells, and other heat and power applications. China is present
at all steps of the hydrogen value chain while Taiwan is not yet clearly positioned.
The research work has investigated the future potential for decarbonisation of
each of the APAC markets. With the renewable electricity generation targets at
2030, the results show even if the entirety of the renewable electricity produced
would be devoted to renewable hydrogen production, none of the APAC markets
could cover their national hydrogen demand, at the exception of Taiwan. Consequently, if only the curtailed renewable electricity generation would be used,
that would not be enough to satisfy the hydrogen demand of the APAC markets. The use of the power-to-gas systems would not be viable from an economic
standpoint.
The first finding is that the current renewable energy policy frameworks of the
APAC markets are not designed to support a deep decarbonisation of the industry
sectors falling under the research scope. Even at the horizon 2030, the renewable
electricity generation would not suffice the hydrogen demand.
Taking the analogy of the “sector coupling” described above, if the APAC
markets renewable energy policy frameworks were one sector and their respective
hydrogen policy frameworks were another sector, the research work shows that
those two sectors are “not-coupled” or “de-coupled”.
Overview
This answer the main research question: What is the influence and impact of the
renewable energy policies on the decarbonisation of industry sectors using fossil
fuel-based hydrogen?
Currently the influence and impact are limited to inexistent.
This implies that, unless future changes of the current policies, any additional
renewable energy capacity required to produce renewable hydrogen would be
subsidy-free, unfavourably increasing the price gap between the fossil fuel-based
and the renewable hydrogen production.