IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/hal/journl/hal-04253822.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Hydrogen Development in Europe : Estimating Material Consumption in Net Zero Emissions Scenarios

Author

Listed:
  • Gondia Sokhna Seck

    (IFPEN - IFP Energies nouvelles)

  • Emmanuel Hache

    (IFPEN - IFP Energies nouvelles, EconomiX - EconomiX - UPN - Université Paris Nanterre - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

  • Vincent d'Herbemont

    (IFPEN - IFP Energies nouvelles)

  • Mathis Guyot

    (ECL - École Centrale de Lyon - Université de Lyon)

  • Louis-Marie Malbec

    (IFPEN - IFP Energies nouvelles)

Abstract

Low-carbon hydrogen has already been announced by many countries as one of their priorities for achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. In Europe, particularly, a political momentum for hydrogen use has strengthened in recent years. This potential for massive development of low-carbon hydrogen technologies in the coming decades raises questions about the world's future dependence on mineral resources and the associated environmental impacts. The aim of this article is to address this issue by assessing the raw materials consumption associated with hydrogen development in Europe up to 2050. The results are based on an analysis of the European hydrogen development pathways resulting from the H24EU project. They highlight the importance of platinum-group metals in electrolysers deployment. Annual iridium demand for PEM electrolysers installed in the European Union could cause major supply tensions since it could reach 164% of its current global production by 2050. Nickel, cobalt, and copper, already associated with high risks of bottlenecks in the energy transition, are not left out: the development of alkaline electrolysis could contribute to a substantial increase in demand for these strategic materials.

Suggested Citation

  • Gondia Sokhna Seck & Emmanuel Hache & Vincent d'Herbemont & Mathis Guyot & Louis-Marie Malbec, 2023. "Hydrogen Development in Europe : Estimating Material Consumption in Net Zero Emissions Scenarios," Post-Print hal-04253822, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-04253822
    DOI: 10.1016/j.inteco.2023.100457
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://ifp.hal.science/hal-04253822
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    To our knowledge, this item is not available for download. To find whether it is available, there are three options:
    1. Check below whether another version of this item is available online.
    2. Check on the provider's web page whether it is in fact available.
    3. Perform a search for a similarly titled item that would be available.

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Gondia Sokhna Seck & Emmanuel Hache & Clement Bonnet & Marine Simoën & Samuel Carcanague, 2020. "Copper at the crossroads : Assessment of the interactions between low-carbon energy transition and supply limitations," Post-Print hal-03118509, HAL.
    2. Li, Guang & Zhang, Ke & Yang, Bin & Liu, Fan & Weng, Yujing & Liu, Zheyu & Fang, Yitian, 2019. "Life cycle analysis of a coal to hydrogen process based on ash agglomerating fluidized bed gasification," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 174(C), pages 638-646.
    3. Patlolla, Shashank Reddy & Katsu, Kyle & Sharafian, Amir & Wei, Kevin & Herrera, Omar E. & Mérida, Walter, 2023. "A review of methane pyrolysis technologies for hydrogen production," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 181(C).
    4. Verma, Aman & Kumar, Amit, 2015. "Life cycle assessment of hydrogen production from underground coal gasification," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 147(C), pages 556-568.
    5. Emmanuel Hache & Marine Simoën & Gondia Sokhna Seck & Clément Bonnet & Aymen Jabberi, 2020. "The impact of future power generation on cement demand: An international and regional assessment based on climate scenarios," International Economics, CEPII research center, issue 163, pages 114-133.
    6. Tang, Chen & Sprecher, Benjamin & Tukker, Arnold & Mogollón, José M., 2021. "The impact of climate policy implementation on lithium, cobalt and nickel demand: The case of the Dutch automotive sector up to 2040," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    7. Jan Christian Koj & Christina Wulf & Andrea Schreiber & Petra Zapp, 2017. "Site-Dependent Environmental Impacts of Industrial Hydrogen Production by Alkaline Water Electrolysis," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-15, June.
    8. Sadeghi, Shayan & Ghandehariun, Samane & Rosen, Marc A., 2020. "Comparative economic and life cycle assessment of solar-based hydrogen production for oil and gas industries," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 208(C).
    9. Hache, Emmanuel & Seck, Gondia Sokhna & Simoen, Marine & Bonnet, Clément & Carcanague, Samuel, 2019. "Critical raw materials and transportation sector electrification: A detailed bottom-up analysis in world transport," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 240(C), pages 6-25.
    10. Yang, Chi-Jen, 2009. "An impending platinum crisis and its implications for the future of the automobile," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(5), pages 1805-1808, May.
    11. Bareiß, Kay & de la Rua, Cristina & Möckl, Maximilian & Hamacher, Thomas, 2019. "Life cycle assessment of hydrogen from proton exchange membrane water electrolysis in future energy systems," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 237(C), pages 862-872.
    12. Boyano, A. & Blanco-Marigorta, A.M. & Morosuk, T. & Tsatsaronis, G., 2011. "Exergoenvironmental analysis of a steam methane reforming process for hydrogen production," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(4), pages 2202-2214.
    13. Seck, Gondia Sokhna & Hache, Emmanuel & Barnet, Charlène, 2022. "Potential bottleneck in the energy transition: The case of cobalt in an accelerating electro-mobility world," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    14. Seck, Gondia S. & Hache, Emmanuel & Sabathier, Jerome & Guedes, Fernanda & Reigstad, Gunhild A. & Straus, Julian & Wolfgang, Ove & Ouassou, Jabir A. & Askeland, Magnus & Hjorth, Ida & Skjelbred, Hans , 2022. "Hydrogen and the decarbonization of the energy system in europe in 2050: A detailed model-based analysis," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    15. Burkhardt, Jörg & Patyk, Andreas & Tanguy, Philippe & Retzke, Carsten, 2016. "Hydrogen mobility from wind energy – A life cycle assessment focusing on the fuel supply," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 181(C), pages 54-64.
    16. Mohsen Fallah Vostakola & Hasan Ozcan & Rami S. El-Emam & Bahman Amini Horri, 2023. "Recent Advances in High-Temperature Steam Electrolysis with Solid Oxide Electrolysers for Green Hydrogen Production," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(8), pages 1-50, April.
    17. Grandell, Leena & Lehtilä, Antti & Kivinen, Mari & Koljonen, Tiina & Kihlman, Susanna & Lauri, Laura S., 2016. "Role of critical metals in the future markets of clean energy technologies," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 53-62.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Le Boulzec, Hugo & Delannoy, Louis & Andrieu, Baptiste & Verzier, François & Vidal, Olivier & Mathy, Sandrine, 2022. "Dynamic modeling of global fossil fuel infrastructure and materials needs: Overcoming a lack of available data," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 326(C).
    2. Seck, Gondia Sokhna & Hache, Emmanuel & Barnet, Charlène, 2022. "Potential bottleneck in the energy transition: The case of cobalt in an accelerating electro-mobility world," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    3. Yadav, Deepak & Banerjee, Rangan, 2020. "Net energy and carbon footprint analysis of solar hydrogen production from the high-temperature electrolysis process," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 262(C).
    4. Hoarau, Quentin & Lorang, Etienne, 2022. "An assessment of the European regulation on battery recycling for electric vehicles," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 162(C).
    5. Jones, Ben & Elliott, Robert J.R. & Nguyen-Tien, Viet, 2020. "The EV revolution: The road ahead for critical raw materials demand," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 280(C).
    6. Seck, Gondia S. & Hache, Emmanuel & Sabathier, Jerome & Guedes, Fernanda & Reigstad, Gunhild A. & Straus, Julian & Wolfgang, Ove & Ouassou, Jabir A. & Askeland, Magnus & Hjorth, Ida & Skjelbred, Hans , 2022. "Hydrogen and the decarbonization of the energy system in europe in 2050: A detailed model-based analysis," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    7. Liang, Yanan & Kleijn, René & Tukker, Arnold & van der Voet, Ester, 2022. "Material requirements for low-carbon energy technologies: A quantitative review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    8. Mehrshad Kolahchian Tabrizi & Jacopo Famiglietti & Davide Bonalumi & Stefano Campanari, 2023. "The Carbon Footprint of Hydrogen Produced with State-of-the-Art Photovoltaic Electricity Using Life-Cycle Assessment Methodology," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-25, July.
    9. Chaube, Anshuman & Chapman, Andrew & Minami, Akari & Stubbins, James & Huff, Kathryn D., 2021. "The role of current and emerging technologies in meeting Japan’s mid- to long-term carbon reduction goals," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 304(C).
    10. Clément Bonnet & Samuel Carcanague & Emmanuel Hache & Gondia Sokhna Seck & Marine Simoën, 2019. "Some Geopolitical issues of the Energy Transition," Working Papers hal-03191388, HAL.
    11. Bareiß, Kay & de la Rua, Cristina & Möckl, Maximilian & Hamacher, Thomas, 2019. "Life cycle assessment of hydrogen from proton exchange membrane water electrolysis in future energy systems," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 237(C), pages 862-872.
    12. Chen, Jinyu & Luo, Qian & Sun, Xin & Zhang, Zitao & Dong, Xuesong, 2023. "The impact of renewable energy consumption on lithium trade patterns: An industrial chain perspective," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(PA).
    13. Kamila Svobodova & John R. Owen & Deanna Kemp & Vítězslav Moudrý & Éléonore Lèbre & Martin Stringer & Benjamin K. Sovacool, 2022. "Decarbonization, population disruption and resource inventories in the global energy transition," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-16, December.
    14. Tanguy Bonnet, 2023. "Foreign Direct Investment and Strategic Minerals," EconomiX Working Papers 2023-7, University of Paris Nanterre, EconomiX.
    15. Chen, Jinyu & Luo, Qian & Tu, Yan & Ren, Xiaohang & Naderi, Niki, 2023. "Renewable energy transition and metal consumption: Dynamic evolution analysis based on transnational data," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(PB).
    16. Elshkaki, Ayman, 2020. "Long-term analysis of critical materials in future vehicles electrification in China and their national and global implications," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 202(C).
    17. Anthony E. Hughes & Nawshad Haque & Stephen A. Northey & Sarbjit Giddey, 2021. "Platinum Group Metals: A Review of Resources, Production and Usage with a Focus on Catalysts," Resources, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-40, September.
    18. Li, Guoxuan & Cui, Peizhe & Wang, Yinglong & Liu, Zhiqiang & Zhu, Zhaoyou & Yang, Sheng, 2020. "Life cycle energy consumption and GHG emissions of biomass-to-hydrogen process in comparison with coal-to-hydrogen process," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    19. Dorota Burchart & Magdalena Gazda-Grzywacz & Przemysław Grzywacz & Piotr Burmistrz & Katarzyna Zarębska, 2022. "Life Cycle Assessment of Hydrogen Production from Coal Gasification as an Alternative Transport Fuel," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(1), pages 1-18, December.
    20. Vakulchuk, Roman & Overland, Indra & Scholten, Daniel, 2020. "Renewable energy and geopolitics: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 122(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Hydrogen; Critical Metals; Carbon Neutrality; Europe;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q4 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy
    • Q31 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Nonrenewable Resources and Conservation - - - Demand and Supply; Prices
    • Q55 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environmental Economics: Technological Innovation

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-04253822. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: CCSD (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.