Project Finance and Bankability in Green Hydrogen and ‘Power-to-X’ Derivatives Infrastructure: Risks, Costs and Competitiveness Across the Supply Chain
摘要
Green hydrogen, produced by electrolyzers powered by clean energy, is considered by policymakers as the missing energy coupler that could enable the decarbonization and complete electrification of the global energy sector. Significant investments are therefore expected in hydrogen by 2050 but they are facing challenges like the current infrastructure, regulatory framework, lack of standardization, unaffordable technology and uncertain demand, leading to high costs and uncompetitive offers. Yet, to fund green hydrogen projects, structured finance with its debt leverage effect is one of the most appropriate instruments, but requires long-term revenues, security of demand, and stable regulation among others. The purpose of this analysis is to identify risks and costs across the supply chain (i) and to verify the possibility of use of project finance by applying typical bankability requirements to clean hydrogen projects (ii). The results show that most conditions necessary for the funding through structured finance are not fulfilled today starting with the competitiveness of green hydrogen, but public policies could support the creation of ecosystems favorable to bankability and providing targeted support.