The Clean Energy Partnership (CEP) recommends a paradigm shift in the promotion of hydrogen: away from individual promotion and towards an integrated system approach.
The core of this concept is a two-pillar strategy based on the Dutch SWIM model. It combines site tenders for hydrogen filling stations with capacity guarantees in order to create investment security and accelerate infrastructure expansion.
A central element of the new approach is the coordinated promotion of filling stations and vehicles. A two-phase tendering model will initially promote the infrastructure, followed by a time window for the formation of consortia for vehicle procurement.
This integrated solution should ensure that supply and demand grow synchronously. The inclusion of hydrogen combustion engines is essential in order to expand the range of applications.
However, the implementation of this system approach poses challenges. It requires careful coordination between different stakeholders and flexible adaptation to changing market conditions. Critical milestones must be defined and a realistic timetable drawn up to ensure a successful transition from theory to practice. The CEP emphasizes the need for simple, implementable support packages with early announcement in order to give all parties involved planning security.
This holistic approach could be the decisive catalyst for bringing hydrogen mobility out of its niche and into the mass market, thus making a significant contribution to the mobility transition.
