Final report from ELEGANCY
/Summary and key messages from ELEGANCY
ELEGANCY is an ERA-Net Cofund ACT project with the aim to help fast-tracking the decarbonization of Europe’s energy system via hydrogen and CCS. This has been achieved by overcoming specific scientific, technological and economic/legal barriers and by undertaking five national case studies adapted to the condi-tions in the partner countries Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland and the UK. ELEGANCY con-sists of 22 partners from industry and academia/research. More information can be found at the project web-site.
The final report from ELEGANCY is available here.
Key messages
• Europe is dependent on all main available decarbonization options – including hydrogen and CCS – to address the European-parliament declared climate emergency from November 2019 and reduce CO2 emissions be cut by 55% by 2030 and further to net zero by 2050.
• The European parliament has also supported greater action for implementing commercial-scale CCS.
• Hydrogen can be delivered at scale – fast-tracking the 2050 net-zero emission goal.
• Fuel-switching to hydrogen will:
o Curb emissions from distributed sources, such as transport, industrial processes, heating and cooling.
o Quickly decarbonize heavy industry in the EU and so maintain economic activity and jobs.
• Hydrogen produced both from renewable energy sources and from natural gas with CCS will be needed.
• Climate positive hydrogen from biomass with CCS can play an important role in compensating CO2 emissions from hard-to-abate sectors, despite limited sustainable biomass resources.
• CCS is an efficient and safe way to eliminate CO2 emissions.
• The Hydrogen Pathway needs appropriate financial, regulatory and political frameworks.
• Hydrogen should form part of the future European energy system.
• A comprehensive hydrogen infrastructure is required, also using existing assets.
• Open access infrastructure for CO2 transport and storage is required – being able to permanently store CO2 will enable new pathways to climate neutrality.
• Full-scale deployment of hydrogen with CCS should start now.
• Recommended key principles for market re-design are:
o Integrated energy system planning and governance tools.
o Efficient and coordinated permitting procedures.
o Access to the grid and gas grid conversion.
o Operation of transport networks and related infrastructures.
