The research project “Infrastructure Needs of an Industrial Transformation of the EU towards Deep Decarbonisation” (INFRA NEEDS) analyzes where in Europe how much (additional) energy needs arise from the decarbonisation of the three most energy-intensive industrial sectors in Europe. For these hotspots, the resulting infrastructure needs in 2050 will be investigated.
The project is part of the European Climate Foundation IT50 initiative and is based on scenarios for extensive decarbonisation and material efficiency in the three most energy-intensive processing industries (plastics, steel and cement) in the European Union (EU). These scenarios show that substantial decarbonisation of the European energy-intensive industry is possible, requiring large amounts of additional renewable energy in the form of electricity, hydrogen and / or synthetic fuels from renewable energy sources.
Against this background, the project INFRA NEEDS will explore and show:
• which energy infrastructures are required if the proposed scenarios and the envisaged high additional energy requirement were realized,
• where these infrastructures could be needed and
• what impact can be attributed to these – potentially additional – infrastructures.
The findings and results will feed into the publication and exploitation of the IT50 initiative, which is based on the European discussion on industrial strategy and tackles climate goals until the middle of the century.
Further Information on the results of a first Workshop can be found here.