The hydrogen production from RES impact on energy and fuel markets.

World countries have set itself to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the short / medium term, and Europe committed itself to reducing Green House Gas (GHG) emissions to 80-95% below 1990 levels by 2050. These policies are based on the development of non-fossil energy supply and electrification. In this context, the increasing of shares of electricity produced from renewable sources is an ineluctable necessity. In recent years, the production of renewable energy has increased considerably, but given the dependance of these sources from sun daily cycle and weather, there is a mismatch between production and demand. This arises some issues as balancing the electricity grid, and in particular the use of the energy surplus and compensation of energy lacks, as well as the need to strengthen the electricity grid. Among the various new solutions that are being evaluated, there are: the accumulation in batteries, the compressed air and hydrogen storage. These solutions appear to be the most suitable to associate with the water accumulation (pumped hydro). Concernig the hydrogen, recent research highlights that the efficiency hydrogen storage thechnologies have lower performance compared to advanced lead acid batteries on a DC to DC basis, but"...In contrast, according to the cost of Hydrogen storage is competitive with batteries and could be competitive with CAES and pumped hydro in locations that are not favorable for these technologies." [1] This means that, once the optimal efficiency rate is reached, the technologies concerning the production of hydrogen from renewable sources will be a viable and competitive solution for balancing electric grid. However hydrogen is not just a storage medium like batteries and conmpressed air, it is also a fuel with a number of possible applications. Consequently, what will be the impact on the energy and fuel markets? The production of hydrogen through electrolysis will certainly have an important economic impact not only in electricity and in the transport sectors, but will lead also to the creation of a new market and new supply chains that will change the physiognomy of the entire energy market.