The EU has decided to target 33 per cent of its installed capacity from renewable sources following the largest year-on-year (YOY) percentage growth in total installed capacity.

Having set themselves strong solar targets, key EU countries are looking at green hydrogen to boost their renewable drive, supported by the recently announced €1.85 trillion (approximately AU$3 trillion) fiscal stimuli.

While GlobalData anticipates that a large-scale deployment of low-cost solar PV could greatly aid in bringing down the cost of green hydrogen for commercial and sustainable usage, the target capacity additions set by leading EU economies may be a little high.

Somik Das, Senior Power Analyst at GlobalData said major EU countries such as Germany, France, Spain, Italy and Portugal clearly show their intent to use the opportunity provided by the COVID-19 pandemic and shift to a greener future, but it is questionable whether this is achievable.

“To meet its goal, Germany would need to add 4.5GW every year to 2030. Other countries are getting off lighter, with annual additions at around 2.5-2.8GW, but France, Italy, and Portugal may initially struggle to attain such installations right away,” Das shared.

“COVID-19 has impacted renewable installations significantly, with key solar markets such as Spain, Italy, Portugal, France and Germany having faced deployment restrictions and a sudden decline in financing prospects. The European Commission’s planned €1.85 trillion (AU$3 trillion) fiscal stimulus intends to boost renewables, energy-efficient buildings, green transport and fair minimum wages. This is likely to stimulate the economy in the post-COVID-19 era, as it would welcome new employment opportunities in the sector, tackling a serious concern in the present. This is also expected to kickstart activities in the sector, which would have experienced a slowdown with the onset of the widespread economic impact.”

The EU is planning to allocate €3-5 billion (AU$5-8 billion) towards green hydrogen, likely producing one million tonnes per year.

Das adds: “Green hydrogen would enable EU countries such as Germany, France, the Netherlands, Austria, Belgium and Luxembourg to incorporate seasonal energy storage and sector coupling, as well as develop an integrated energy system in the future. This can be supported by the use of electrolysers, used for the production of hydrogen from renewable electricity, which will be a crucial catalyst towards decarbonisation.”