Integration of waste heat from green hydrogen production into Swedish district heating system : A closer look at three recognized barriers for market implementation

Sammanfattning

This thesis investigates the potential for integrating waste heat from green hydrogen production into Sweden’s district heating (DH) systems. The main goal is to understand how this integration supports sector coupling and to identify key economic barriers. The study focuses on three main issues identified in the HyCoGen final report: the future compensation of hydrogen, the value of residual heat, and investment costs. The findings show that using waste heat from hydrogen production can increase energy efficiency by linking electricity and heating networks. However, the economic value of the heat is low, and temperature upgrades using heat pumps raise costs. Electricity price volatility adds further difficulty. Hydrogen prices are still uncertain, and the equipment needed is expensive. While the technology is available, better support through clear regulations, market incentives, and financial aid is necessary to make such integration feasible. This work highlights the need for coordinated planning and policy to achieve effective sector coupling in Sweden.