Low-cost energy
With its high energy density, hydrogen represents a unique potential in terms of energy storage. It is an attractive solution both in terms of seasonal and daily use. The method and form of energy storage should always reflect the needs of its final consumption. Whether hydrogen is to be re-oxidized in the fuel cell to generate electricity or converted into ammonia or methanol is determined by the characteristics of a specific application. The energy independence of a business – understood both as energy self-sufficiency and as a lack of exposure to fluctuations in the prices of energy carriers – is a ground-breaking change for many sectors.
In combination with properly integrated hydrogen technologies, renewable energy sources ensure freedom in shaping prices in relation to the final costs of manufacturing goods and services. That is why hydrogen is so attractive particularly to those firms for which energy is a major item in the cost structure. In Polish conditions, the strong growth of renewable energy sources and expansion of companies’ own assets in this area are the processes that are going to take place concurrently. This means a huge challenge for the transmission and distribution networks, which will continue to hinder RES development. Hydrogen, which enables storage of energy produced from own renewable energy sources, is a game changer both for commercial and prosumer energy market, ensuring independence from distributors and operators of energy networks. Finally, the hydrogen-based model of self-production and self-consumption can permanently eliminate a number energy management-related risks that energy-intensive companies are exposed to.
