Energy transition
Europe has already come a long way in the fight against climate change but just as much remains to be done. Today on the Old Continent about 20% of the energy used comes from renewable sources and this share continues to grow, making its own decisive contribution to the reduction of harmful emissions. However, renewables are only one of the pillars of the green strategy: transmission grids are equally important, as are the systems for storing the energy produced. Electric car batteries are the best example of this. In such a complex, long and expensive challenge, green hydrogen has all the credentials to make a huge contribution to the protection of the earth we live on and it is no wonder that it represents one of the central chapters of the Next Generation EU, the plan that Ursula von der Leyen has placed as a guideline for her mandate at the head of the European Commission. So much so that of the 191.5 billion euros reserved for Italy, 3.19 billion have been allocated to the “production, distribution and final uses of hydrogen”.
The EU aims to reduce emissions
The current objective of Brussels is to reduce harmful emissions by 40% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. To this goal are added two others that are functional to the first: again by 2030 the share obtained from renewable energy should reach 32% of the total and the energy efficiency of the Member States should improve by at least 32.5%. However, these targets could soon be outdated. The European Commission is in fact studying a proposal, which will be presented in June this year, to bring the reduction of emissions to 50-55% by 2050 compared to 1990. A very ambitious thirty-year programme, which necessarily needs the precious contribution of hydrogen.
Even at the level of individual sectors, there are objectives to achieve which will require a great collective effort and which will see hydrogen among the factors that can determine success. Several countries, for example, have already established by which date cars with combustion engines will have to be banned. Norway and the Netherlands plan to do so by 2025, Sweden, Denmark and Germany by 2030.
Even at the level of individual sectors, there are objectives to achieve which will require a great collective effort and which will see hydrogen among the factors that can determine success. Several countries, for example, have already established by which date cars with combustion engines will have to be banned. Norway and the Netherlands plan to do so by 2025, Sweden, Denmark and Germany by 2030.
Hydrogen, a precious ally of the automotive industry
Electric cars are taking the place of petrol and diesel, but once again it could be hydrogen that will ensure that the goal is achieved. In fact, its characteristics make it particularly suitable for use in means of transport: it is light, more easily stored in the long term than electricity, and reactive, with a high content of energy per unit of mass and can be easily produced on an industrial scale.
Therefore, if man really wants to stop the dramatic rise in temperatures, hydrogen must play a primary role in this survival challenge.
Therefore, if man really wants to stop the dramatic rise in temperatures, hydrogen must play a primary role in this survival challenge.
