Towards a hydrogen economy: analysing the relevant policies and prospective supply and demand in Europe

The goal of this thesis is to analyse the future of hydrogen in Europe as a sustainable energy carrier solution, with the main areas of study being those concerning policy, supply and demand. The analysis is carried out on a high level and aims at presenting the current trajectory of the planned future of this sector in aforementioned areas. The study also illustrates the potential gaps in achieving deployment and offers recommendations to overcome them. In order to explain the background and relevant aspects, the analysis is preceded by an overview of the hydrogen supply chain and associated operations such as production, storage and transportation. From the policy perspective, the thesis studies and compares the various published national hydrogen strategies and roadmaps as well as the various supporting policies of the European countries, with a particular focus on the EU. In the areas of demand and supply, studies and announced projects have been analysed to envisage the hydrogen future in Europe. Hydrogen imports from outside the continent have been also considered to complement domestic production. Also, an analysis of the various exporting regions has been concluded. Eventually, recommendations have then been offered to complete the overall framework necessary for deployment hydrogen technology and secure the required demand.