Switzerland's ambitions regarding hydrogen are still too fragile

On 13 December 2024, the Federal Council published its "Hydrogen Strategy for Switzerland", establishing a framework for its integration into our energy system. The strategy notably provides for a three-phase approach: first, the deployment of local infrastructure by 2035; next, a ramping up of imports; and finally, full integration into the European energy market by 2050.

The emphasis is on the production of renewable hydrogen, as well as its storage and use in heavy-duty transport and industry. This plan highlights the importance of research and development, providing support for pilot projects and technological innovations.

First steps too timid

As the pilot of the H2 French-speaking Switzerland Network within the Nomads Foundation, we can only welcome this progress, which finally recognizes the potentially key role of hydrogen in our energy transition. However, this recognition remains timid in the face of on-the-ground realities and the imperative need for a faster and more ambitious rollout.

The Federal Council's strategy sets out laudable principles: priority to carbon neutrality, integration into the European market, and infrastructure development. It also acknowledges the need to organize the market, with local production aimed at reducing any dependence on imports. However, on closer inspection, this ambition still rests on fragile foundations.

Hydrogen is not just one alternative among others; it represents a strategic solution within the energy mix to guarantee our energy independence and achieve our climate goals.

The private sector, for its part, has not waited. In Switzerland, we observe a network of committed actors, including around fifteen refueling stations and several dozen hydrogen trucks in operation. History has shown that major infrastructures — whether rail, hydroelectricity, or electrification — have never developed without significant state support. Yet, in the case of hydrogen, the Confederation seems reluctant to grant strong financial incentives, unlike the European Union, which actively promotes this sector.

Need for a more ambitious policy

While fossil energies benefited from massive investments for more than a century, hydrogen only began to attract capital very recently. Moreover, these investments remain largely below those allocated to fossil fuels. By analogy, the production costs of solar energy have today reached a very competitive level, thanks to massive government support over several decades, including in Switzerland.

For hydrogen to reach a competitive cost level, support policies similar to those that favored the development of solar energy are necessary. As a reminder, hydrogen currently appears to be the only energy vector capable of decarbonizing applications where energy density is crucial, notably heavy-duty transport and industry.

Hydrogen is not just one alternative among others; it represents a strategic solution within the energy mix to guarantee our energy independence and achieve our climate goals. However, for it to play its full role, the Confederation must commit with greater determination, which implies clearer financial support, coherent regulation, and a political will commensurate with the challenges.

At this stage, we must ensure that the objectives of the "Hydrogen Strategy for Switzerland" do not remain mere intentions, but are translated into concrete actions, serving a Switzerland that is more energy-independent and more sustainable. The potential is there, the actors are ready, but without a favorable framework, our country risks missing out on this historic opportunity.

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