<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>Green hydrogen has outgrown the testing stage: over the next few years, consortia across Europe will be investing large sums to build the supply chains of tomorrow. However, Europe as a whole will only be successful if it aligns the development of supply chains with the potentials of its regions and exploits the advantages of a European division of labour. This article examines the spatial distribution of hydrogen frontrunner projects in light of regional heterogeneity. It reveals a pattern that exhibits clear core regions but is only partly consistent with the localisation of current production and usage potentials. For a rapid ramp-up of hydrogen markets, European policymakers should make greater efforts to incentivise capacity formation in regions with high potential, by harmonising national levies affecting hydrogen supply chains and promoting the build-up of a cross-regional hydrogen transport infrastructure. Moreover, public investment support provided by various institutions and programmes should be better aligned to the common target of capacity upscaling.</p>
</abstract>

Green hydrogen has outgrown the testing stage: over the next few years, consortia across Europe will be investing large sums to build the supply chains of tomorrow. However, Europe as a whole will only be successful if it aligns the development of supply chains with the potentials of its regions and exploits the advantages of a European division of labour. This article examines the spatial distribution of hydrogen frontrunner projects in light of regional heterogeneity. It reveals a pattern that exhibits clear core regions but is only partly consistent with the localisation of current production and usage potentials. For a rapid ramp-up of hydrogen markets, European policymakers should make greater efforts to incentivise capacity formation in regions with high potential, by harmonising national levies affecting hydrogen supply chains and promoting the build-up of a cross-regional hydrogen transport infrastructure. Moreover, public investment support provided by various institutions and programmes should be better aligned to the common target of capacity upscaling.

The Spatial Evolution of a European Hydrogen Economy

Intereconomics

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

{"article-title":"The Spatial Evolution of a European Hydrogen Economy"}

Green hydrogen has outgrown the testing stage: over the next few years, consortia across Europe will be investing large sums to build the supply chains of...

The Spatial Evolution of a European Hydrogen Economy

Published Online: Apr 02, 2023

Page range: 111 - 118

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/ie-2023-0022

© 2023 André Wolf, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.