ANALYSIS OF THE HYDROGEN RESOURCES USAGE IN ESTONIA

This executive summary, published by the Stockholm Environment Institute in May 2021, analyzes the potential for hydrogen resource usage in Estonia between 2020 and 2050. It evaluates the hydrogen value chain—production, storage, distribution, and consumption—across the transport, industrial, building, and power sectors. The report identifies the transport and chemical industries as the primary areas for decarbonization and outlines the necessary investments, infrastructure, and policy measures required to transition to a hydrogen economy.

• The transport and industrial sectors are identified as the primary drivers for hydrogen penetration in Estonia. By 2050, the transport sector (road, rail, and marine) could consume between 108,587 and 214,174 tons of hydrogen, while the ammonia and methanol industry could use between 43,922 and 87,845 tons.
• Realizing Estonia's hydrogen potential requires massive investment and a significant increase in renewable electricity. Total investments in the hydrogen value chain are estimated at EUR 22.412 to 44.7 billion by 2050. Additionally, clean electricity production would require further investments of EUR 5.317 to 10.634 billion to provide the 8 to 16 TWh of renewable electricity needed.
• The transition to hydrogen could significantly reduce CO2 emissions and create new employment. Depending on the scenario, emissions could fall by 2.2 to 4.4 million tons of CO2 equivalent, and between 21,169 and 42,432 jobs could be created, with over 64% of these jobs linked to production and distribution in the high penetration scenario.
• Among ten analyzed pilot projects, hydrogen ferries and the export of hydrogen-produced ammonia show the highest potential. The ferry project has a 20-year ROI of -1% without subsidies, which could increase to 10% with 2.7 million euros in support for hydrogen vessels. Ammonia production using a 24 MW electrolyser could save approximately 30 kilotons of CO2 per year compared to methane-based production.
• Significant barriers to hydrogen adoption in Estonia include the lack of a national hydrogen strategy, insufficient refueling infrastructure, and a shortage of qualified personnel. The report emphasizes that without a national plan, investors remain uncertain and reluctant to commit to hydrogen solutions.
• Technological preferences for Estonia include PEM electrolysis for green hydrogen due to its ability to handle fluctuating wind and solar energy. For storage, gaseous or liquid hydrogen in cylinders is most suitable for short distances, while ammonia or methanol are suggested for long-term storage or export. The report notes that Estonia lacks positive feasibility for underground hydrogen storage.

APA

Viks-Binsol, P., Rell, M., Uibooss, R., Treial, A., Tammiste, L., Kirsimaa, K., Aslam, A., Butt, T. E., Kruusenberg, I., & Praats, R. (2021). ANALYSIS OF THE HYDROGEN RESOURCES USAGE IN ESTONIA. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/analysis-of-the-hydrogen-resources-usage-in-estonia-summary.docx.pdf

Chicago

Viks-Binsol, Piia, Martti Rell, Renar Uibooss, Alo Treial, Lauri Tammiste, Kerli Kirsimaa, Adil Aslam, et al. ANALYSIS OF THE HYDROGEN RESOURCES USAGE IN ESTONIA. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2021. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/analysis-of-the-hydrogen-resources-usage-in-estonia-summary.docx.pdf.

Wikipedia

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BibTeX

@techreport{viksbinsol2021analysis, author = {Viks-Binsol, Piia and Rell, Martti and Uibooss, Renar and Treial, Alo and Tammiste, Lauri and Kirsimaa, Kerli and Aslam, Adil and Butt, Tyyab Ehsan and Kruusenberg, Ivar and Praats, Reio}, title = {{ANALYSIS OF THE HYDROGEN RESOURCES USAGE IN ESTONIA}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2021}, month = may, url = {https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/analysis-of-the-hydrogen-resources-usage-in-estonia-summary.docx.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }