Hydrogen News from Europe
Press release: Study on hydrogen in ports and industrial coastal areas
Up to 42% (22 Mt, or 730 TWh) of total hydrogen demand in the EU in 2050 could be located in port areas, shows the first report of a study conducted by Deloitte Belgium for the Clean Hydrogen Partnership.
The Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking and the Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking strengthen cooperation on research and innovation in hydrogen-powered aviation
Interested in Hydrogen Valleys? The presentations from the workshop “Towards an EU Roadmap for Hydrogen Valleys” are now available.
H2Accelerate to deploy 150 fuel cell trucks across EU
The H2Accelerate collaboration announces acquisition of funding to enable deployment of 150 hydrogen trucks and 8 heavy-duty hydrogen refuelling stations.
https://www.clean-hydrogen.europa.eu/media/news/h2accelerate-deploy-150-fuel-cell-trucks-across-eu-2023-03-14_en
Hydrogen Valleys: European Commission signs joint declaration with European stakeholders to boost the EU hydrogen economy
The Commission and key stakeholders signed on 1 March, during a high-level event , a joint declaration highlighting the crucial role of sustained efforts in renewable hydrogen research and innovation.
Towards an EU Roadmap for Hydrogen Valleys – Regional actors and their role: double the number of valleys by 2025 and build-up skills workshop
Europe is set to embark on the world’s most ambitious decarbonization programme with the European Green Deal, aiming for at least 55% greenhouse gas emission reduction by 2030, and a pledge for Europe to become the first climate-neutral economy by 2050.
REPowering the EU with Hydrogen Valleys: Clean Hydrogen Partnership invests EUR 105.4 million for funding 9 Hydrogen Valleys across Europe
The Clean Hydrogen Partnership has selected 9 Hydrogen Valley projects following its first call proposals (2022). The total funding requested for the 9 Hydrogen Valleys amounts to EUR 105.4 million. In addition, the Clean Hydrogen Partnership has started the grant preparations for 7 smaller scale Hydrogen Valleys projects (at least 500 H2 tonnes / year), focusing on areas of Europe with no or limited presence of H2 Valleys. Each of them will be funded with 8m EUR. The valleys will comprise regions in Bulgaria (Stara Zagora), Greece (Crete and Corinthia), Ireland (Galway), Italy (Lombardy), Turkey (South Marmara) and Luxembourg.
15 European regions will receive Project Development Assistance
The Clean Hydrogen Partnership has selected 15 regions to receive support in the framework of the latest Project Development Assistance (PDA) initiative.The projects proposed by the regions cover a wide range of hydrogen applications, from hydrogen buses in the cities to ferries that connect island communities as well as industrial applications such as glass manufacturing.
New website for the European Hydrogen Refueling Station Availability System
The European Hydrogen Refuelling Station Availability System (E-HRS-AS) provides a free, reliable and ready to use data service on hydrogen refuelling stations (HRS) in Europe. The recently launched website includes a real-time information system on the availability of hydrogen refuelling stations in Europe and a common data repository framework for static information, such as addresses, dispensing capabilities and means of payment. All this data can be shared through an open-source export API to any third party who requests access to support the development of the sector.
Solaris receives record order for Urbino hydrogen buses
Solaris Bus & Coach has received a record order for 52 of its Urbino hydrogen buses from carrier Rebus Regionalbus based in Güstrow, Germany. The undisclosed contract will be completed by the end of 2024. Rebus Regionalbus will receive 47 12-metre vehicles, featuring 70kW fuel cell units, and five articulated models with 100kW fuel cell units, which are the latest model in Solaris’ portfolio.
https://www.h2-view.com/story/solaris-receives-record-order-for-urbino-hydrogen-buses/
Rolls-Royce reveals green hydrogen production and fuel cell plans
Rolls-Royce plans to produce green hydrogen at is Friedrichshafen headquarters and test its mtu hydrogen engines and fuel cell systems. The company also announced today (April 17) it has successfully tested its 250kw fuel cell demonstrator, which proved that the system could provide uninterruptible power in a blackout situation.
https://www.h2-view.com/story/rolls-royce-reveals-green-hydrogen-production-and-fuel-cell-plans/
Linde to build Singapore’s ‘largest’ electrolyser as part of Evonik green hydrogen supply agreement
Linde has announced it will build, own and operate the “largest” electrolyser ever installed in Singapore as part of a long-term green hydrogen supply agreement with Evonik. Expected to come onstream in 2024, the 9MW alkaline electrolyser, set to be built on Jurong Island in Singapore, Singapore, which will supply Evonik for the manufacture of methionine, an essential component in animal feed.
Scotland and Singapore to partner on hydrogen projects
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Scotland and Singapore has been signed to build hydrogen trade and innovation opportunities between the two countries.
https://www.h2-view.com/story/scotland-and-singapore-to-partner-on-hydrogen-projects/
Linde looks to boost Californian green hydrogen production with 5MW electrolyser plans
Linde has announced plans to increase its green hydrogen production capacity in California, US, in response to growing demand for hydrogen-powered mobility. The company is set to build, own, and operate the first of several 5MW PEM electrolysers to increase its hydrogen production capacity at its existing plant in Ontario, California, which it says will produce enough green hydrogen to avoid up to 75,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year.
Lhyfe starts construction of 5MW green hydrogen project in the south of France
Lhyfe has today (April 19, 2023) announced it has started the construction of its third green and renewable hydrogen site in the south of France, in partnership with AREC Occitanie. Previously known as Val d’Hygo, the now dubbed the Lhyfe Occitanie project, in Bessières near Toulouse, is expected to have capacity to produce two tonnes of green hydrogen per day, with a generating capacity of 5MW, on an 8,000sq.m. site.
First Hydrogen unveils hydrogen-powered campervan concept (Apr 17, 2023)
First Hydrogen has released a concept for its zero-emission Recreational Vehicle (RV) designed in partnership with EDAG Group. The fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) represents First Hydrogen’s aim to explore applications for alternative fuels across various vehicle classes.
https://www.h2-view.com/story/first-hydrogen-unveils-hydrogen-powered-campervan-concept/
Britten-Norman and Cranfield Aerospace to merge with big hydrogen-powered plans
Aircraft manufacturer Britten-Norman and hydrogen-electric fuel cell pioneer Cranfield Aerospace Solutions (CAeS) are set to merge with plans to deliver the “first” OEM sub-regional hydrogen-powered aircraft. Having signed a Heads of Terms (HoTs) agreement, the merger of the UK companies is due to be complete in mid-2023, subject to final due diligence.
UK gas networks ‘ready to deliver hydrogen infrastructure’
The UK’s gas networks are ready to deliver hydrogen infrastructure in a country-wide, coordinated way in the coming decades, according to A hydrogen vision for the UK report published by the Energy Networks Association.
https://www.h2-view.com/story/uk-gas-networks-ready-to-deliver-hydrogen-infrastructure/
OCI and Petrofac partner on green methanol projects
OCI Global and Petrofac have announced an exclusive partnership to deliver gasification-based green methanol projects. The green methanol projects, produced from green hydrogen, will support the production of low-carbon feedstock for the OCI’s existing methanol facilities.
https://www.h2-view.com/story/oci-and-petrofac-partner-on-green-methanol-projects/
Northwest German hydrogen alliance formed to support industrial consumption
Seven companies are combining their hydrogen projects in northwest Germany to support industrial consumption. BP, Gasunie, Nowega, NWO, Salzgitter, Thyssengas and Uniper, under the new alliance, look to use Wilhelmshaven as a hydrogen import and production location to supply industrial consumption centres in North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony.
Plans for €4bn green steel and H2 plant
Norwegian start-up Blastr has today announced plans to build a €4bn ($4.22bn) green steel plant in southern Finland, complete with its own wind-powered green hydrogen production facility. The project, which has the support of the Finnish government, would produce 2.5 million tonnes of high-quality green steel annually, with the H2 produced on-site used instead of coke to extract iron from ore.
Grid connect for Danish green ammonia
With a grid connection license now in hand, Green ammonia project Høst takes a giant stride toward taking an FID worth more than EUR 1.3bn. Legislative uncertainty, however, could still undermine the whole undertaking, warns project director.
https://hydrogeneurope.eu/grid-connect-for-danish-green-ammonia/
UAE and Netherlands partner on HH22
Masdar, one of the world’s leading clean energy companies, Port of Amsterdam, SkyNRG, Evos Amsterdam and Zenith Energy have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to explore the development of a green hydrogen supply chain between Abu Dhabi and Amsterdam to support Dutch and European markets.
ABO wind farm will make H2 for trucks
For the first time, ABO Wind will combine a wind farm with the production and use of green hydrogen: the German Federal Ministry of Digital Affairs and Transport is funding the Hünfeld-Michelsrombach project with around twelve million euros as part of the National Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology Innovation Programme. The funding directive is coordinated by NOW GmbH and implemented by Project Management Jülich (PtJ).
Dutch plan tender for 500MW offshore green H2 electrolyser
The facility will be in the North of Wadden Islands offshore wind zone, previously earmarked for a turbine array to export power but now confirmed as a dedicated plant for renewable H2 that the Dutch claimed could be world’s largest when up and running by 2031.
Portugal to launch Europe’s first auction for piped H2
Portugal will launch a pioneering auction in the second half of this year for rights to sell hydrogen for injection into the national gas grid, which some see as a key step in kickstarting Europe’s fledgling hydrogen market. Under the terms of the auction, energy group Galp Energia will contract to buy hydrogen mixed with natural gas from producers and resell it to meet demand, a system designed to boost investment in production by giving suppliers a guaranteed buyer.That would remove the need for dozens of bilateral contracts between suppliers and consumers.
https://hydrogeneurope.eu/portugal-to-launch-europes-first-auction-for-piped-h2/
2023 could be first ‘giga-year’ for H2 in EU
The total installed capacity of hydrogen installations across Europe could exceed 1GW for the first time, according to a new report from LCP Delta. Hydrogen projects in the UK and Germany will play a pivotal role in creating this significant milestone for the European renewable energy market. Both have over 400MW of projects in their 2023 pipeline, potentially bringing the total installed capacity across Europe from around 236MW last year to over 2GW in 2023.
Germany plans offshore green H2 production
As part of Germany’s new plan to generate 30GW of offshore wind by 2030, an area of the North Sea has been set aside exclusively for offshore green hydrogen production, which would be connected to shore via an H2 pipeline. The newly created SEN-1 zone will have an electrolyser capacity of up to 1GW, with an electricity cable to shore forbidden.
Belgium to be a hydrogen pioneer
Belgium is aiming to become a European pioneer in hydrogen distribution, with a new law that will pave the way to a hydrogen network, approved by the Chamber’s Energy Committee on Tuesday. Belgium is the first country in the world to take such steps.
2030, imported hydrogen can compete with EU production costs
Imports of renewable hydrogen into the European Union by 2030 will be competitively priced compared with domestically produced clean hydrogen, a future energy source to replace fossil fuels, a study by Aurora Energy said on Tuesday.
EU green H2 pipeline grows
A green hydrogen pipeline supplying France from Spain and Portugal is to be extended to Germany. It is part of a new “joint road map” on hydrogen announced jointly by Paris and Berlin to step up “investments in the technologies of tomorrow, particularly renewable and low carbon energies”. The so-called H2Med undersea pipeline from the Iberian peninsula to France is set to enter operation by 2030 carrying hydrogen produced using renewables. It is expected to transport up to 2 million metric tonnes of green hydrogen a year, which amounts to 10% of the total European Union’s consumption, according to Spanish authorities.
https://hydrogeneurope.eu/eu-green-h2-pipeline-grows/
Green steel plant starts
H2 Green Steel has started production at Europe’s first green steel plant in Boden, northern Sweden. Using hydrogen to replace coal, the company hopes to roll out the first batches of steel by 2025. The green steel will be created by using hydrogen to react with iron ore, producing only water vapour. H2 Green Steel will produce its own green hydrogen using water from a nearby river. The electricity required for electrolysis and the running of the plant will be provided by nearby renewable resources including hydropower from the Lule river and wind parks in the region. The process promises to cut emissions by 95% when compared with traditional steelmaking.
https://hydrogeneurope.eu/green-steel-plant-starts/
Industry Relies on H2
Throughout Germany, the need for hydrogen as a central element of climate-neutral management is increasing. Some examples: Steel giant ThyssenKrupp is investing billions in hydrogen projects. For BMW, hydrogen is a key issue in car construction. Aviation wants to convert aircraft to hydrogen.
Shipping carbon tax could increase H2 demand
The demand for green hydrogen and its derivatives would increase massively in the coming years if the UN’s International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopts a proposal for a global carbon fuel tax on the shipping industry. While the IMO has a target of cutting greenhouse gas emissions from the maritime sector by 50% by 2050 (compared to 2008 levels) — a goal that could be increased in a forthcoming July meeting — it has been hard to see how it would get there, given that today’s carbon-rich heavy fuels are much cheaper than cleaner alternatives, such as renewable hydrogen, ammonia and methanol. However, last week, a revised proposal of a “Fund and Reward” carbon tax was submitted by the International Chamber of Shipping — a trade body representing about 80% of the world’s merchant fleet — that seeks to charge shipowners $50 per tonne of fossil-derived marine fuel oil.
EHB Infrastructure Maps Update February – including latest feasibility estimates and PCI submissions
The European Hydrogen Backbone Initiative developed visionary maps for future hydrogen pipeline infrastructure. Our recent maps update from September 2022 included significantly accelerated changes in the pipelines infrastructure of various countries.