Abu Dhabi 2 GW, 1.24 Eurocent/kWh solar power plant. Electricity is already dirt cheap, “too cheap to meter”. The largest cost factor is amortization of the required electrolyzers to transform the supply of solar electricity intro hydrogen.
Saudi-Arabia wants to build a green-hydrogen pipeline to Europe.
Based on the fact that it is not possible to generate a cheaper kWh than with photo-voltaic solar in the desert (currently 1.24 cent/kWh), Saudi plans to become a major hydrogen deliverer to Europe are entirely realistic. Not sure about that pipeline though. Which route, pray tell? Alternatively, hydrogen could be transported by ship or converted into a storage form that is easier to handle.
However, the idea to produce cheap hydrogen in the desert, should be promoted. It is the cornerstone of the German hydrogen strategy, to concentrate on producing electrolyzer equipment and leave the production of hydrogen to those countries that can produce hydrogen in the cheapest way. Note that a solar panel generates roughly twice as much electricity in the desert as in NW-Europe, so why bother littering over-populated countries like Germany and the Netherlands with solar panels and onshore wind, if somebody else can produce energy much cheaper. For security reasons, the EU should indeed produce a minimum amount itself, but not everything. Additionally, this strategy is perfect to help poor African countries to serious money for the first time, enabling them to buy our products. Win-win. For security reasons, supply of hydrogen should be distributed equally over many producers, not to make yourself vulnerable to boycotts and blackmail.
[rechargenews.com] – Saudi Arabia ‘could pipe green hydrogen to Europe to keep leading energy role’
[arabnews.com] – Saudi Arabia offers Europe ‘green’ hydrogen by pipeline
[deepresource] – Germany Embraces the Hydrogen Economy
[deepresource] – German-Moroccan Hydrogen Agreement
This was in hindsight a little too pessimistic, but now global peak oil is in sight.
DeepResource 