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ENERGIX-Stort program energi

Hydrogen Pathways 2050 - Transition of the Norwegian society and value creation from export

Alternative title: Hydrogen - omstillingsbaner mot 2050

Awarded: NOK 14.0 mill.

The project Hydrogen Pathways 2050 will study the transition towards zero emission for the Norwegian society towards 2030 and 2050, with a special focus on hydrogen. We will address both the use of hydrogen nationally and hydrogen as a potential export product. The project will study the interplay between renewable power production, transmission, and the production and end-use of hydrogen. Hydrogen may play a key role in the future energy system, as it provides flexibility both to the supply side and demand side. The project includes hydrogen from both renewable electricity (green hydrogen) and hydrogen from natural gas with CCS (blue hydrogen). User cases will showcase the role hydrogen can play in the Norwegian energy system considering both decarbonisation of the industry and transport sector as well as increase of intermittent renewable power production and exports. The case studies have a 2030 perspective and results and impacts on the short term is in focus. The project includes in total four case studies: 1. Green hydrogen production as flexibility provider 2. Offshore activity (North Sea) and hydrogen production. 3. Hydrogen in local electricity grid (case of Utsira). 4. Energy system impacts of large-scale demand of hydrogen in industry and/or transport in Norway. The project has three national research partners: IFE, NTNU (IØT and IEL) and SINTEF (Energy and Digital). IFE is the project coordinator. Three international research partners (TU Berlin, TU Wien, and Europa-university Flensburg) will contribute with perspectives on European scenarios and relevant studies on market introduction of hydrogen in Europe. Statkraft, Equinor and Gassco are funding the project, and are in the steering committee, while a reference group with members NVE, Enova, Lyse, Haugaland kraft and Trøndelag county council will contribute as discussion partners and can participate in case studies. The project will educate one PhD and one post.doc.

Hydrogen Pathways 2050 will study the transition towards zero emission for the Norwegian society, with a special focus on hydrogen and its use nationally and as a potential export product. The project addresses the interplay between renewable power production, transmission, and the production and end-use of hydrogen. Hydrogen may play a key role in the future energy system, as it provides flexibility both to the supply side and demand side. Central questions the project will address are related to how hydrogen can contribute with sector coupling, how hydrogen can serve as a flexibility provider and how hydrogen can be an export product for Norway in the future. The project includes hydrogen from both renewable electricity and hydrogen from natural gas with CCS. Below we describe the state of the art focusing on research challenges and how the project will address knowledge gaps related to these. While the project focus on the Norwegian energy transition, the strong links to the European energy system, and Norway's role as an energy exporter, requires that we also model the European system. A number of Horizon 2020 projects has contributed to establish open and transparent modelling frameworks of the European energy systems and related sectors. We will utilize the scenarios and data sets developed at the European arena as a starting point for tailored analysis of the Norwegian energy system, under framework conditions given by these European projects. The project will also utilize results and methods from the project Norwegian Energy Roadmap that looked at transitioning to a low-emission society in Norway focusing on the low carbon transission and impacts on the energy- and Power system as well as social and economic effects. The project we will study transition pathways towards 2030 and 2050, focusing on hydrogen, and the integration with renewables, natural gas and CCS, and the nterplay between the energy sector, industry, transport, the built environment.

Funding scheme:

ENERGIX-Stort program energi