Projet CROSSHY
Cross-border Energy infrastructures Implementtion Pathways for Synergetic Solutions in French-German Hydrogen Supply
Funding : call for proposals ANR-BMBF
Start end dates : fin 2024 - fin 2027
Partners : DLR, Natran
Goals
The Franco-German CROSSHY project (“Cross-border Energy infrastructures Implementation Pathways for Synergetic Solutions in French-German Hydrogen Supply”), launched in November 2024, is funded under the ANR-BMBF call for proposals on “Developing the hydrogen sector for the future energy mix.” It aims to provide a robust vision of hydrogen infrastructure needs in France and Germany and to contribute to the planning of this infrastructure, particularly in cross-border regions. (Link to ANR communication: https://anr.fr/Projet-ANR-24-ENER-0001)
Partners
The project enables close collaboration between two European research institutes, CEA/I-Tésé in France and DLR in Germany, benefiting from the complementary expertise of the research teams on the subjects of modeling and optimization of multi-energy systems.
NaTran (formerly GRTgaz), as the French industrial partner involved in the project, provides the consortium with a connection to the industrial ecosystem, which is essential for developing relevant scenarios, datasets, and analyses.
Méthodology
As part of this project, I-Tésé and DLR are implementing complementary multi-energy system modeling approaches (electricity, natural gas, hydrogen, heat), with a focus on synergies resulting from the coupling of nuclear-based and renewable energy systems.
The tools used in the project are:
- REMix: a multi-energy optimization tool developed by DLR to map investment trajectories and operational decisions for the production and transmission capacities of future energy systems, at national or international scales and
- ANTARES : an optimization and simulation tool developed by RTE for the electricity system and used by I-Tésé in multi-energy studies, designed to optimize hourly operating decisions, taking into account technical and security of supply constraints which are not integrated into REMiX.
Expected outcomes
The research aims to develop innovative methodologies to represent the flexibility of hydrogen demand in different sectors and to efficiently process large volumes of time series data to capture the operational dynamics of electricity and gas supply. Based on prospective hydrogen demand scenarios, the optimisation work aims to analyse the deployment of hydrogen infrastructure in France and Germany, providing information on cost-effective and robust solutions. Uncertainties relating to future hydrogen demand, supply options and technological development are considered to evaluate their potential impact on the optimal design and operation of the system.
By integrating these innovative methodologies and demonstrating their usefulness in border regions between France and Germany, the project contributes to I-TESÉ's mission, aiming to guide policymakers and enable manufacturers to invest strategically in hydrogen infrastructure. By analysing several plausible prospective scenarios for the development of the energy system in France and Germany, our project aims to inform decision-making and mitigate the risks associated with the substantial investments required for the energy transition.
Integration into I-Tésé's work
Reflecting on prospective scenarios for hydrogen demand in France and Europe is central to I-Tésé's activities, as demonstrated by the publication of the Sisyphe study in 2024. Low-carbon hydrogen production, supply, transport and distribution are seen as important solutions for decarbonising difficult-to-electrify sectors and for producing e-fuels, which is another major research topic addressed by I-Tésé.
The energy system modelling work carried out as part of the project, in collaboration with DLR, is also central to I-Tésé's mission and activities (see our modelling activities), as well as being a key challenge in supporting the CEA's integrated vision of energy.