Luxembourg Hydrogen Strategy

The "Stratégie hydrogène du Luxembourg" document outlines Luxembourg's hydrogen strategy, emphasizing the potential of hydrogen as a decarbonized energy vector to support the energy transition, especially in sectors challenging to decarbonize through direct electrification. Here's a summarized translation:

• Hydrogen (H2) is seen as a promising energy vector for sectors hard to decarbonize directly. It offers flexible energy storage and potentially releases energy without a carbon footprint. However, its ecological balance is tied to its production method. Only renewable hydrogen, produced from renewable energy sources, doesn't emit greenhouse gases, unlike fossil hydrogen.

  
  

• The strategy:

  1. Describes the decarbonization context via hydrogen, aiming for climate neutrality by 2050. Luxembourg prioritizes energy efficiency and direct electrification. Renewable hydrogen could play a role in integrating energy sectors, initially limited to sectors hard to decarbonize, like heavy industry.

  2. Provides an overview and estimates the decarbonization potential using hydrogen. Luxembourg has an annual consumption of about 450 tons of fossil hydrogen in the industry. Replacing this with renewable hydrogen should be an interim goal. Aiming for climate neutrality by 2050, the targeted use of renewable hydrogen could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 1-2 million tons of CO2 equivalent annually, representing up to 20% of current emissions.

  3. Proposes seven key measures to promote renewable hydrogen production, importation, and usage:

     • Measure 1: Contribute to defining the legal framework at the EU level.

     • Measure 2: Cooperate with EU member states and third countries.

     • Measure 3: Identify opportunities in Luxembourg - Research and innovation.

     • Measure 4: Implement flagship projects.

     • Measure 5: Prioritize actions for targeted decarbonization via renewable hydrogen.

     • Measure 6: Develop tools for a renewable hydrogen market.

     • Measure 7: Implement and continuously improve - Taskforce H2 Luxembourg.

• Why Consider a Hydrogen Strategy for Luxembourg?:

  • The energy transition in many EU states aims to combine environmental protection, economic development, and health. One priority is to limit the adverse effects of climate change. Hydrogen has been used in industries and space propulsion for a long time. Given its properties to store energy flexibly and release it without a carbon footprint, it's seen as a potential solution for some sectors. However, challenges related to its high cost, resulting from its low production efficiency, need to be addressed.

Read the executive summary here: