Wenn Europas wirtschaftspolitische Institutionen sich vom Wasserstoff abwenden - CleanTechnica

The article discusses a significant shift in the stance of key European economic policy institutions regarding hydrogen as a broad energy carrier. The German Council of Economic Experts and the French Conseil d’analyse économique have jointly moved away from promoting hydrogen for widespread use, particularly in heavy road freight transport—a sector previously seen as a major hydrogen demand driver. Their analysis found that battery-electric trucks, combined with high-performance charging infrastructure, are more efficient, cost-effective, quicker to implement, and easier to integrate into the expanding electricity grid than hydrogen fuel cell trucks. The councils highlighted that hydrogen systems suffer from higher costs, complexity, and energy losses, with fuel cell trucks converting only about a quarter of the original electricity into motion compared to roughly 75% for battery-electric trucks. Based on a comprehensive system comparison, the councils recommended prioritizing public investments in electricity grids and charging infrastructure, while restricting hydrogen use to applications where electrification is impractical. They also advised canceling plans and budgets for hydrogen refueling stations and removing synthetic fuels from