System Analysis – TransHyDE Project on Transport Solutions for Green Hydrogen

The “System Analysis” project, part of the “TransHyDE” flagship hydrogen project funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), addressed key questions regarding the future hydrogen infrastructure: Where, when, and how will hydrogen and its derivatives be produced, used, stored, and transported to ensure they reach the right application at the right time and under cost-effective conditions? Within the consortium, the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE was responsible for the techno-economic modeling of potential regional hydrogen ecosystems, for which the model HYSCOPE was developed, as well as for sustainability assessments of the technology options considered in the project.

Initial Situation

To address the questions of "where, when, and how" regarding infrastructure raised in the "System Analysis" project, existing methodological hurdles had to be overcome. Previous analytical tools, such as the H2ProSim model, were unable to optimize regional value chains across multiple locations simultaneously. Furthermore, site analyses for hydrogen regions were often limited to qualitative GIS studies. There was a lack of a tool capable of mapping the complex interactions between local production, connection to the hydrogen core grid, and transport to consumers with high spatial and temporal granularity. Such a tool was needed to identify economic risks like stranded assets during the planning phase.

Objective

The focus of the ISE's work was the development of the HYSCOPE model to provide a science-based foundation for decision-making in establishing regional hydrogen ecosystems. The objective was to endogenously calculate the optimal configuration of plant capacities, locations, and transport pathways. In parallel, the project aimed to harmonize life cycle assessments (LCA) within the TransHyDE consortium. By defining uniform parameter sheets and investigating critical factors—such as raw material availability and the climate impact of various transport media—the project sought to provide a holistic environmental and economic evaluation of the transition pathways toward an interconnected hydrogen economy.

Approach

The ISE's approach was based on closely linking techno-economic modeling with environmental accounting:

• HYSCOPE Development: Programming a spatially resolved optimization model that flexibly integrates production, storage, and various transport technologies (truck trailers, pipelines).
• Scenario Validation: Applying the model to five representative hydrogenValleys to assess the impact of grid connections and local wind potentials on levelized costs.
• Sustainability Harmonization: Developing parameter sheets to ensure comparability of consortium results and conducting targeted LCAs (e.g., on iridium requirements or recycling).
• System Comparison: Performing a meta-analysis of GHG emissions for different transport vectors, including GH2, LH2, LOHC, and ammonia.

Results

The primary outcome is the operational HYSCOPE model, enabling precise optimization of regional hydrogen supply chains. Analyses across five hydrogenValleys demonstrate that connection to the hydrogen core grid is the most critical factor for achieving competitive local prices. Without this connection, early decentralized investments risk becoming stranded assets. Regarding transport, truck trailers and short-distance pipelines proved cost-effective at approximately 1 €/kg. Environmental assessments confirm that new H2 pipelines achieve climate amortization within just a few years. Furthermore, iridium was identified as a critical bottleneck for PEM electrolysis, highlighting the necessity of recycling strategies and harmonized parameter sheets for future infrastructure roadmaps.

• Fraunhofer IEG
• VDEh-Betriebsforschungsinstitut GmbH
• BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg
• DECHEMA Gesellschaft für Chemische Technik und Biotechnologie e.V.
• Karlsruher Institut für Technologie KIT
• Energy Systems Analysis Associates - ESA² GmbH
• Forschungsstelle für Energiewirtschaft e.V.
• Forschungsgesellschaft für Energiewirtschaft mbH
• Fraunhofer IEG
• Fraunhofer IFF
• Fraunhofer IKTS
• Fraunhofer ISI
• Fraunhofer SCAI
• Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg
• Hüttentechnische Vereinigung der Deutschen Glasindustrie e.V.
• Institut für ZukunftsEnergie- und Stoffstromsysteme
• Papiertechnische Stiftung
• Salzgitter Mannesmann Forschung GmbH
• TU Berlin
• Universität Kassel
• VNG AG

Associated Partner:

• 50Hertz Transmission GmbH
• Gasunie
• GRTgaz Deutschland GmbH
• Nowega GmbH
• ONTRAS Gastransport GmbH
• RWE Generation (und RWE Renewables)
• TenneT TSO GmbH
• VDZ Technology gGmbH

The flagship hydrogen project “TransHyDE” conducted a systems analysis that examined hydrogen transportation within the context of the overall energy and economic system. The project received approximately 17.5 million euros in funding from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (grant number: 03HY201A-V).