Potential for a green energy partnership between Spain and Germany: techno-economic analysis
The climate change represents a major challenge for our society and demands decisive action in the energy sector. To achieve climate neutrality, the transition to renewable energies and international energy cooperation are becoming increasingly important. The transformation of the energy system will...
| Autor: | |
|---|---|
| Tipo de recurso: | tesis de maestría |
| Fecha de publicación: | 2025 |
| País: | España |
| Institución: | Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) |
| Repositorio: | UPCommons. Portal del coneixement obert de la UPC |
| Idioma: | inglés |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:upcommons.upc.edu:2117/442264 |
| Acceso en línea: | https://hdl.handle.net/2117/442264 |
| Access Level: | acceso abierto |
| Palabra clave: | Biomass energy Hydrogen as fuel Renewable energy sources Energia de la biomassa Hidrogen com a combustible Energies renovables Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Energies |
| Sumario: | The climate change represents a major challenge for our society and demands decisive action in the energy sector. To achieve climate neutrality, the transition to renewable energies and international energy cooperation are becoming increasingly important. The transformation of the energy system will lead to a sharp increase in the demand for electricity and hydrogen in Germany and Spain. To meet this demand, both countries have already expanded their renewable resources, but they must continue this trend and significantly intensify their expansion effort. Germany does not have the natural resources to meet its future electricity and hydrogen needs entirely independently, it is dependent on energy imports and international partnerships. Spain, on the other hand, has favourable climatic conditions, in particular high levels of sunshine and abundant wind resources. This makes it an ideal energy partner for Germany, as it can produce electricity and hydrogen at lower production costs. This paper therefore examines the potential for a green energy partnership between Spain and Germany based on a techno-economic analysis of two scenarios: electricity exports via a high-voltage direct current transmission line and hydrogen exports via a pipeline. For both scenarios, specific transport routes, technical configurations and detailed cost calculations were developed in order to create a realistic basis for evaluation. Both options were analysed and evaluated in terms of their technical feasibility, economic viability, and the political framework conditions. The results show that the HVDC link is not recommended due to conflicting political objectives and unclear supply advantages for Germany. The hydrogen pipeline, on the other hand, meets essential requirements for a viable energy partnership. It supports both Spain's political ambitions as a hydrogen exporter and Germany's goal of a secure, climate-friendly and competitive energy supply. The paper concludes that a hydrogen pipeline currently represents the more sensible strategic option for long-term, sustainable cooperation. At the same time, existing and potential uncertainties, such as those relating to technological developments, infrastructure requirements and political dynamics, are discussed critically. |
|---|