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Long-distance road-freight transport emits a large share of Germany's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. A potential solution for reducing GHG emissions in this sector is to use green hydrogen in fuel cell electric vehicles (FC-HDV) and establish an accompanying hydrogen refueling station (HRS) network. In this paper, we apply an existing refueling network design model to a HDV-HRS network for Germany until 2050 based on German traffic data for heavy-duty trucks and estimate its costs. Comparing different fuel supply scenarios (pipeline vs. on-site), The on-site scenario results show a network consisting of 137 stations at a cost of 8.38 billion € per year in 2050 (0.40 € per vehicle km), while the centralized scenario with the same amount of stations shows a cheaper cost with 7.25 billion euros per year (0.35 € per vehicle km). The hydrogen cost (LCOH) varies from 5.59 €/kg (pipeline) to 6.47 €/kg (on-site) in 2050. • Assessment of new refueling network design model and its cost for Germany in 2050. • Results show a network consisting of 137 stations. • Cost of an HDV-HRS network for on-site production is 8.38 bn€/a (6.47 €/kgH 2). • Cost of an HDV-HRS network for centralized production is 7.25 bn€/a (5.59 €/kg H 2). • Centralized production needs H 2 pipeline of 5381 km with 0.23 m average diameter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an immanent necessity to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions, the energy transition poses a major challenge for the next 30 years, as it includes a cross-sectoral increase of fluctuating renewable energy production, grid extension to meet regional electricity supply and demand as well as an increase of energy storage capacity. Within the power-to-gas concept, hydrogen is considered as one of the most promising solutions. The paper presents a scenario-based bottom-up approach to analyse the hydrogen supply chain to substitute diesel with fuel cell buses in the Rhine-Main area in central Germany for the year 2025. The analysis is based on field data derived from the 6 MW power-to-gas plant "Energiepark Mainz" and the bus demonstration project "H 2 -Bus Rhein-Main". The system is modelled to run simulations on varying demand scenarios. The outcome is minimised hydrogen production costs derived from the optimal scheduling of a power-to-gas plant in terms of the demand. The assessment includes the energy procurement for hydrogen production, different hydrogen delivery options and spatial analysis of potential power-to-gas locations. • The value chain of green hydrogen. • Analysis of different market penetration scenarios for FC-buses vs BE-buses. • Spatial analysis of power to gas locations in a regional context. • Optimisation of the electricity purchase for minimising the H 2 production costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Media coverage of energy technologies can influence their evaluation by the public. • Consistent, widespread, and positive coverage of BEV positively affects attitudes. • Automated text analysis allows analysis of a two-year dataset of newspaper articles. • Media effects captured by linking the media analysis with a representative survey. This paper finds that positive media coverage has a positive effect on individual attitudes towards alternative fuel vehicle (AFV) technologies. The study matches an automated text analysis of six German newspapers from 2018 - 2020 (n = 7,805 articles) with a representative novel survey dataset of citizens in large German cities (n = 1,776). For battery-electric vehicles (BEV), as the most covered technology in the articles, a multiple regression model shows that greater media exposure to predominantly positive articles leads to more positive attitudes. Attitudes towards BEV and hydrogen cars show a low positive correlation, which is in line with the way these technologies are depicted in media, where they are repeatedly presented as competing technologies. To account for the demonstrated effects of widespread media coverage on technology attitudes in this study, transitions scholars and policymakers should pay particular attention to who influences such media messages and to what end. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Simulation of residential building energy supply with heat pump or hydrogen systems. • 2050: Hydrogen economically-viable if H 2 -/Elec.-price is less than 34–61 % per kWh. • For conservative price predictions: Electric heat pumps are most economical solution. • Energy carrier switch for single-family houses: H 2 -/Elec.-price below 44 % per kWh. • Energy carrier switch for multi-family houses: H 2 -/Elec.-price below 58 % per kWh. • Fuel cells are emerging as an economically-viable option for multi-family houses. Fossil-fueled heating in the building sector is responsible for 16 % of Germany's total CO 2 emissions. Options for the climate-neutral heating of buildings include renewable electricity or renewable hydrogen. In this paper, we conduct a bottom-up study to investigate the role of hydrogen in the climate-neutral energy supply of ten selected residential buildings in comparison to electricity-based systems. Based on a demand simulation and linear optimization of the supply system, sensitivity analyses identify the threshold values of the hydrogen price for the use of hydrogen technologies (hydrogen boilers or fuel cells) in building energy systems and make the quantities of hydrogen consumed visible. The results specify the first installations of hydrogen-operated fuel cells in multi-family houses if the hydrogen price reaches 0.17 €/kWh H2 in 2050 at an electricity price of 0.31 €/kWh el. Generally, for different building types and electricity supply prices, it indicates that the use of hydrogen becomes economically-viable if the price of hydrogen supply is in the range of 34–61 % of the price of the electricity supply per kWh and below. For the case of green hydrogen obtained using renewable electricity, it is highly questionable whether hydrogen supply will be that much cheaper than direct electricity supply, making its economical use in buildings uncertain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Co-optimization of multiple energy sectors is important for investment planning. • Adding HDV-HRS incurs power transmission expansion as well as higher power supply costs as the total power demand increases. • Investing in HDV-HRS in symbiosis with the power system rather than independently promises relevant cost savings. • Average LCOH of between 5.66 euro/kg and 6.20 euro/kg. • Nodal electricity prices are the main determining factor for LCOH. A potential solution to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the transport sector is to use alternatively fueled vehicles (AFV). Heavy-duty vehicles (HDV) emit a large share of GHG emissions in the transport sector and are therefore the subject of growing attention from global regulators. Fuel cell and green hydrogen technologies are a promising option to decarbonize HDVs, as their fast refueling and long vehicle ranges are consistent with current logistic operational requirements. Moreover, the application of green hydrogen in transport could enable more effective integration of renewable energies (RE) across different energy sectors. This paper explores the interplay between HDV Hydrogen Refueling Stations (HRS) that produce hydrogen locally and the power system by combining an infrastructure location planning model and an electricity system optimization model that takes grid expansion options into account. Two scenarios – one sizing refueling stations to support the power system and one sizing them independently of it – are assessed regarding their impacts on the total annual electricity system costs, regional RE integration and the levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH). The impacts are calculated based on locational marginal pricing for 2050. Depending on the integration scenario, we find average LCOH of between 4.83 euro/kg and 5.36 euro/kg, for which nodal electricity prices are the main determining factor as well as a strong difference in LCOH between north and south Germany. Adding HDV-HRS incurs power transmission expansion as well as higher power supply costs as the total power demand increases. From a system perspective, investing in HDV-HRS in symbiosis with the power system rather than independently promises cost savings of around seven billion euros per annum. We therefore conclude that the co-optimization of multiple energy sectors is important for investment planning and has the potential to exploit synergies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]