Waterstof voor gebouwverwarming: Naar 500.000 woningen op waterstof in 2030

For the transition of the built environment towards carbon neutrality, heating with green hydrogen can obtain a key role, especially in countries with a well developed natural gas infrastructure, like the Netherlands. Leading studies show that the existing transport and distribution gas network can be transformed for hydrogen transport at relatively low costs. The Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL) indicates that at a hydrogen price below 3,6 €/kg, hydrogen for heating is the most cost effective option for the majority of the existing buildings, taking all costs into account for alternative sustainable heating options. This is not an unrealistic price expectation in 2030 for green hydrogen, with significant price reductions to be expected in the subsequent decennia. The Gasunie, the network operator for large scale gas transport in the Netherlands and Northern Germany, is developing a plan for a national 10-15 GW capacity ‘hydrogen backbone’, connecting all major industrial areas throughout the country. The hydrogen backbone is expected to be operational in 2026. When during the peak demand in winter, 10% of this capacity is available for neighboring residential areas, hydrogen heating becomes an option for at least 500.000 dwellings in 2030. The corresponding hydrogen demand at a reasonable cost level, provides an additional driver for the development of green hydrogen production capacity at a significant scale.