At one of my recent meetings, we discussed the possibilities for using one particular site. There are halls, land and a photovoltaic power plant available.
One of the participants looked at me and asked:
“I would like to store energy. Ideally in hydrogen. Do you know of any technology that can produce hydrogen economically?”
But my first question was not which technology to use.
I asked:
“And what will you do with the hydrogen?”
There was silence for a moment.
Then I continued.
“Who will be your customer?”
Because you can have hydrogen produced very cheaply. But if you do not know who will buy it, it will never become an economically viable project.
And this is precisely where, in my view, real development begins.
Not with technology.
But with understanding the entire site.
What is located in the surrounding area?
What companies operate there?
What are their needs?
What energy sources are available?
How much energy will need to be stored?
And only then comes the question:
Which combination of technologies will be technically and economically most suitable for this particular project?
During the discussion, another interesting opinion was expressed.
For your specific case, battery storage may currently be the most economically advantageous solution.
And you know what?
I agreed.
Because the goal is not to build a hydrogen project at any cost.
The goal is to design a solution that makes both technical and economic sense.
In some places, it will be battery storage.
Elsewhere, hydrogen.
And in some places, a combination of both.
That is precisely why, in my view, a good project does not start with technology.
It starts with asking the right questions.
I focus on the development of cross-border energy projects and infrastructure strategies in a European context.
Kristýna Váchalová
Business Development | Cross-Border Energy Projects | Hydrogen Strategies | HyConnect