The Court of Auditors criticises France's hydrogen strategy

In a report published recently, the Court of Auditors criticises France's hydrogen strategy. The Court of Auditors first criticises the government's decision to focus exclusively on hydrogen production by electrolysis from a carbon-free electricity source and to ignore CO2 capture, which enables green hydrogen to be produced from steam reforming. The Court of Auditors also considers that the cost of developing the green hydrogen production sector for the public finances has been underestimated. While the government estimates the cost to the public purse at €9 billion, the Court of Auditors believes that the total cost is between €11 and €13 billion if factors such as reduced network access charges for hydrogen producers and the exemption from excise duties on electricity are included in the cost.