The study addresses the future energy situation with the expected reduction of fossil primary energy supply and increasing contributions by renewable energies within the next decades.
The potential of renewable energies to cover the energy demand is described as well as cost reductions of wind and photovoltaic energy. The increasing use of renewable vehicle fuels is investigated with special focus at hydrogen in short and long term considerations.
As a result the study will show an energy supply gap between decreasing fossil energies and increasing renewable energies which can only be bridged by a more efficient general use of energy. It also shows that biofuels alone cannot keep the world moving and –therefore- that hydrogen will become an important fuel in the transport sector. Hydrogen will be proven as best synthetic fuel by “well-to-wheel analyses” both with respect to energy efficiency as well as to environmental analysis.
As a result of an overall consideration of different secondary energies with respect to energy density, efficiency and environmental aspects, hydrogen has the best perspectives.
As a short term introduction strategy for Germany, it is e.g. possible to use by-product hydrogen from chemical industry for first captive vehicle fleets of at least 300,000 fuel cell passenger cars or light duty vans.