Hydrogen News from Europe (May 2024)
Ceres starts work on 100MW solid-oxide electrolyser system
AEM Electrolyser technology targets $1/kg Green Hydrogen
Horizon Fuel Cell is announcing a technological breakthrough in anion exchange membranes that could play a crucial role in realizing the targeted $1/kg green hydrogen production cost at scale. Horizon’s two decades of membrane technology development, in collaboration with partners on base materials and manufacturing processes, helped achieve the breakthrough.
Lhyfe unveils plans for first UK green H2 project
Global green and renewable hydrogen pioneer Lhyfe has unveiled plans for its first UK plant to support the country’s net zero ambitions.
Germany earmarks up to $3.8bn for green H2 imports
The economy ministry said Germany will earmark up to 3.53 billion euros ($3.8 billion) of public funds to procure green hydrogen and its derivatives between 2027 and 2036, as Berlin bets on the fuel to help decarbonise Europe’s biggest economy.
Massive 600MW blue H2 plant secures UK planning permit
Equinor’s H2H Saltend has become the second major blue hydrogen project — and the first linked to the East Coast Cluster carbon capture and storage (CCS) network — to secure planning permission from UK authorities, taking the scheme a step closer to a final investment decision (FID).
EU’s maiden €800m auction receives over 100 bids
The European Commission has confirmed that the EU’s first-ever bloc-wide green hydrogen subsidy auction—with a total budget of €800m ($856m)—attracted 132 bids before it closed.
Dutch electrolyser manufacturers could get €50m subsidy
The Netherlands’ Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate has opened a consultation for a suite of incentives for climate technology manufacturers, including a subsidy worth up to €50m ($54m) per company investing in electrolyser factories.
Green Hydrogen Systems signs new order for 8.1 MW electrolyser capacity
Green Hydrogen Systems A/S announces an order for 9 units of the HyProvide® A-series electrolyser, with a total capacity of 8.1MW. The units are scheduled for delivery in 2024 and 2025.
Electrolyser manufacturing capacity could be 2x greater than demand in 2030
According to a new report by Clean Energy Associates (CEA), electrolyser manufacturing capacity could be around two times greater than demand in 2030.
The report forecasts global manufacturing capacity to reach 54GW by 2027, with China expect to continue to account for “almost half.” However, as capacity grows, CEA has said the actual usable capacity is expected to be “less than the nameplate capacity.”
AIP sought for world-first fuel cell-propelled high-speed vessel
Fuel cell developer TECO 2030 and Norwegian yard Umoe Mandal have delivered the documentation package to the Norwegian Maritime Authority to approve the principle application of the first fuel cell high-speed vessel design.
Kraft Heinz, Carlton Power partner for green H2 in Wigan, UK
The Kraft Heinz Company (Kraft Heinz) has signed an agreement with Carlton Power, the UK energy infrastructure development company, to study the development of a renewable green hydrogen plant at its Kitt Green manufacturing plant in Wigan, Greater Manchester, in the UK.
Enagas CEO: Spain can produce 2.5 mln tons/yr of green hydrogen by 2030
Spain will be able to produce around 2.5 million metric tons of green hydrogen per year by 2030 and reach an electrolysis capacity of 23.3 gigawatts, well above its current targets, the CEO of Spanish gas grid operator Enagas (ENAG.MC), opens new tab said on Wednesday.
Spain’s draft climate strategy sets a 2030 goal of 11 GW for electrolysers to produce green hydrogen. Enagas data shows that even under a more conservative scenario, which sees more than 13 GW of electrolysis capacity by 2030, Spain’s potential is above the current government’s targets.
Green H2 is the only viable route for aviation and shipping
Given its limited supply, green hydrogen must be reserved for hard-to-decarbonise sectors such as aviation and shipping rather than directed towards electrified sectors, writes Aoife O’Leary.
Europe’s first offshore H2 pilot saw electrolyser performance ‘as high as on land’
French developer Lhyfe has announced the results of its pilot floating offshore hydrogen platform, which was tested for six months in the Bay of Biscay, 20km off the coast of Le Croisic in northwestern France, until mid-November last year.
EDPR solar farm to power Lhyfe H2 project
Lhyfe, a leader in green and renewable hydrogen production, and EDP Renewables, a company specializing in the development of renewable energy, are announcing the signing of a 15-year renewable electricity supply contract or corporate power purchase agreement (PPA).
Strong hydrogen and offshore planning will aid grid constraints
As Europe sets its sights on connecting an ambitious 111 GW of offshore wind by 2030 and 317 GW by 2050, as was agreed in January 2023 among Member States, it faces a monumental challenge: the structural congestion of onshore grids.
H2 Green Steel secures €4.5bn funding for world-first project
H2 Green Steel (H2GS) has secured an additional €4.5bn of funding to help build the world’s first large-scale green steel project, which will incorporate about 1GW of electrolysers, making it the biggest green hydrogen facility in Europe.
Lhyfe, Source Galileo sign hydrogen MoU for UK and Ireland
Lhyfe and Source Galileo have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to develop commercial-scale green and renewable hydrogen production units in the UK and Ireland.
Final contract agreed for German green H2 energy hub
The Bad Lauchstädt energy hub is a real-world laboratory for the production, storage, transport, marketing, and use of green hydrogen, testing the entire value chain of green hydrogen on an industrial scale.
A 30MW electrolysis system from Sunfire produces green hydrogen using renewable electricity from the nearby wind farm. Stored temporarily in a salt cavern specially designed for this purpose, the green hydrogen can be fed into the chemical industry’s hydrogen network based in Central Germany via a converted gas pipeline. The wind farm is expected to be completed in the first half of this year, while the electrolyser, which is being constructed in parallel, is expected to be completed by 2025.
Clean Hydrogen Partnership launches € 113.5m call for projects
The Clean Hydrogen Partnership is launching a new hydrogen research call for proposals today, 17 January 2024. A total of € 113.5 million will be made available through Horizon Europe for projects to cover R&I activities across the whole hydrogen value chain.
An additional € 60 million (from the RePowerEU plan budget) will be used to support different activities (including topping up related call topics and procurement to set up and run a ‘Hydrogen Valleys Facility’ ) to increase the number of Hydrogen Valleys across Europe.
Mitsubishi eyes massive green H2 plant in the Netherlands
Japanese trading house Mitsubishi Corp. looks to invest over 100 billion yen ($690 million) to build one of the world’s largest “green” hydrogen production plants in the Netherlands.
HH2E agrees on grid connection for German green H2 project
German gas network operator GASCADE Gastransport GmbH has signed a grid connection agreement for HH2E AG’s green hydrogen project in Lubmin on the Baltic Sea coast. This agreement will enable the blending of green hydrogen within the natural gas network.
HH2E’s plant in Lubmin, in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, will be operational by the end of 2025 and connected to the European Gas Pipeline Link (EUGAL Lines 1 and 2), which will initially transport natural gas blended with hydrogen.
Bosch to launch H2 engine for trucks and construction vehicles
German manufacturer Bosch has announced plans to launch its first hydrogen internal combustion engine for trucks this year, to add to its existing fuel cell and battery-electric offerings.
Consortium unveils 85%-efficient solid oxide electrolyser
Elcogen and Convion have wrapped up 2,000 hours of testing of a solid oxide electrolyzer equipped with Elcogen’s cell technology. The test campaign included steady-state operation and 1,000 rapid power cycles. The companies reported robust system performance, achieving an electrical efficiency exceeding 85%, to produce 39 kWh of electrical energy per kilogram of green hydrogen. In the context of electrolysis, this represents a reduction of 20% to 30% in electricity compared to competing PEM and alkaline technologies. The steam electrolyzer features Elcogen’s Solid Oxide cell and stack technology, which was implemented in Convion’s steam electrolyzer system platform.
Alstom to supply further H2-powered trains to Italian railways
Alstom has received an order for two Coradia Stream hydrogen trains from transport operator Ferrovie del Sud Est (FSE).
Pre-feasibility study for Nordic-Baltic H2 pipeline launched
Six gas transmission operators have launched a pre-feasibility to set up a hydrogen pipeline from Finland through Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland to Germany.
New Belgium EU Council presidency commits to international H2 trade
Belgium has said it is committed to pushing the international trade of hydrogen and its derivatives, having assumed the rotating presidency of the European Council on January 1.
Shell reserves 100MW of ITM Power electrolyser stacks for German project
Set to be manufactured between 2025 and 2026, the 100MW of TRIDENT stacks are planned for use at Shell’s Refhyne 2 project.
The project will see a PEM electrolyser installed at the Shell Rhineland Energy and Chemicals Plant in Germany. The electrolyser will use renewable power to produce green hydrogen which will help decarbonise the plant’s refinery operations.
AFC Energy Says its Largest Ammonia-to-H2 Cracking Plant Now in Service
AFC Energy PLC (AIM:AFC, OTC:AFGYF) has made a significant stride in hydrogen power technology by initiating the largest ammonia-to-hydrogen modular cracker demonstration in the world.
Hexagon Purus to supply Ford Trucks with H2 storage solutions
Hexagon Purus has been awarded an undisclosed purchase order from Ford Trucks to deliver a hydrogen fuel storage system.
Excitement grows about ‘natural H2’ as huge reserves are found in France
While carrying out work to check the risk of firedamp pockets in the abandoned mines of the Lorraine region in May, La Française d’Énergie (FDE) discovered a large deposit of natural hydrogen, igniting hopes that it could be a game changer in Europe’s energy transition.
HYPORT: The first green H2 production and distribution station in Europe has opened
On 4 December 2023, HYPORT, owned by ENGIE Solutions (51%) and the Occitanie region’s Energy and Climate Agency (49%), unveiled Europe’s first green hydrogen production, storage, and distribution station at an airport. The aim is to decarbonize its ground-based activities.
New Lhyfe project to support European H2 backbone
French hydrogen producer Lhyfe has unveiled plans for a new 800 MW project in Lubmin, Germany, to supply the future European hydrogen backbone network.
Large H2 plant proposed at Devon green energy hub
Experts say a proposed green energy hub in north Devon could house one of Europe’s largest hydrogen plants.