Overview and Roadmap of Hydrogen Utilization in Industry

Hydrogen has emerged as a promising solution for achieving a sustainable economy in various industrial sectors. This paper provides an overview of the use of hydrogen in various industrial applications, including energy and heat supply in industrial processes, raw material utilization, and transport. The benefits and role of hydrogen in industrial defossilization are discussed, highlighting its potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from energy-intensive industries. The storage properties of hydrogen offer a solution to decouple the availability of renewable energy from its generation time and to increase energy flexibility. In addition, the paper examines the strategic aspects of hydrogen deployment in Germany, such as policy considerations, the economic viability of hydrogen technologies, external influences such as imports, and the current technical challenges associated with its widespread adoption. Considering these aspects, an overview and a roadmap for the integration of hydrogen in industrial sectors are presented, and recommendations for a successful transition to hydrogen are given.