A service design to enhance regional hydrogen market through increasing social participation

Abstract

This thesis explores a service design intervention aimed at enhancing the Dutch hydrogen market by increasing social participation. The project focuses on integrating hydrogen into the Dutch energy system across sectors such as transportation, heating, industry, and power. The research delineates hydrogen’s role as a key energy carrier for decarbonization. Through interviews with industry experts and analysis of the hydrogen supply chain, barriers and opportunities that hydrogen encountered were identified. Employing various systemic design methods, the thesis analyzed system dynamics and identified three leverage points, generating four intervention ideas. The final design focuses on a service that enables households to convert excess solar electricity into hydrogen, which can be used for other services, supporting grid congestion management and promoting hydrogen adoption.