Assessment of natural and industrial resources for green hydrogen industry development in the Baltic states.

The UN and EU sustainable development guidelines emphasise the need for more environmentally friendly energy sources in promoting further economic development. Hydrogen is one of several renewable fuels that might replace fossil fuels in a range of applications. Green hydrogen generation throughout Europe is a crucial factor in achieving this aim. According to the IEA, the use of hydrogen in the global economy increased from 18 Mt to 97 Mt per year between 1975 and 2023. The aim of the research is to determine the main advantages and obstacles of every Baltic state regarding available renewable energy resources – solar power, wind, and hydro energy; infrastructure; and industrial capacity for hydrogen utilisation within the economy. Secondary data on renewable energy from Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania were collected and examined in accordance with the study framework. To enable a comprehensive comparison, statistical data on renewable resources, infrastructure, and industries were collected and assessed by assigning a value to each criterion evaluated. These values reflect the analysed importance of each criterion for the development of the green hydrogen industry. The statistics data for this study covers the period from 2021 to 2024. The Baltic states have an equal amount of renewable energy resources, but their distribution within each country differs significantly. Latvia has an edge in terms of hydro energy. Meanwhile, Estonia and Lithuania are leading in the area of wind and solar energy capacity development. None of the Baltic states have developed green hydrogen production for commercial purposes. However, the existing natural gas distribution network in the Baltic states could facilitate the transportation of green hydrogen.