The Commission has invited the approximately 1,000 members of the European Clean Hydrogen Alliance to present projects for renewable and low-carbon hydrogen technologies. Objective: 10 million tonnes of carbon-free hydrogen in 2030.
This call marks an important step in building a pipeline of viable projects to achieve the objectives of the hydrogen strategy for a climate-neutral Europe. The deadline for project submissions was May 7. The last meeting of the European Hydrogen Forum, on June 17 and 18, examined the projects submitted and allowed the different actors to be brought together. Thierry Breton, Commissioner for the Internal Market, said: “Clean hydrogen plays an essential role in the race to decarbonize many sectors of our economy, while helping to strengthen the resilience and competitiveness of the economy. European industry. This call for projects is an important step forward for the work of the Alliance. It will build a pool of projects and detect and eliminate gaps and bottlenecks in the clean hydrogen value chain. » The objective of the strategy is to intensify the deployment of clean hydrogen in Europe. Its objective is to install a park of hydrogen electrolyzers of 6 GW and to produce up to 1 million tonnes of renewable hydrogen by 2024, then to reach a power of 40 GW and 10 million tonnes of renewable hydrogen by 2030.
2030 objective
The main objective of the European Clean Hydrogen Alliance, launched in July 2020, is to identify a pipeline of viable investment projects along the hydrogen value chain, as part of the ecological transition, and to create a clean hydrogen market that creates growth and jobs while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The Alliance aims for an ambitious deployment of hydrogen technologies by 2030, bringing together renewable and low-carbon hydrogen production, demand in industry, mobility and other sectors, as well as the transport and distribution of hydrogen. With this alliance, the EU wants to strengthen its global leadership in this area, to support its commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. Remember that the Alliance brings together companies, national and local public authorities, representatives of civil society and other stakeholders. It is firmly anchored in the hydrogen value chain, from the production of renewable, low-carbon hydrogen to industrial solutions, including applications in mobility, energy and heating.
Join the alliance
The Alliance is open to all public and private actors with activities relating to renewable or low-carbon hydrogen and ready to actively contribute to the objectives set out in its constitutive declaration. To join the Alliance, an organization must sign the declaration, commit to the Alliance’s shared vision and contribute to its operational work.
The Alliance will establish an investment program and support the extension of the hydrogen value chain across Europe. It will play a crucial role in facilitating and implementing the actions of the new European hydrogen strategy and in particular its investment program. An industry blueprint values these investments at €430 billion until 2030. It will also be important in the context of the new energy system integration strategy. Six round tables operate within thematic working groups, responsible for the operational work of the Alliance.
The Alliance should support increased production and demand for renewable and low-carbon hydrogen, coordinate action and provide a broad forum to engage civil society.
Round tables
The Alliance’s work is structured around six round tables which are thematic working groups responsible for the operational work of the Alliance. They are responsible for establishing a thematic pipeline of scaling projects and an investment program in their field, while ensuring interdependence with the other round tables. Where relevant to their mission, they can also flag obstacles and bottlenecks to hydrogen upscaling, provide input to work on regulations, standardization and research and innovation priorities . They cover all operations in the hydrogen value chain, from production to end use.
– Round table on hydrogen production
It includes electrolyzers, solar/wind/water, plant engineering, equipment, materials, carbon capture and storage (CCS), and pyrolysis.
Co-presidents: Jean-Bernard Lévy, CEO of EDF; Mads Nipper, CEO of Ørsted; Francesco Starace, CEO and Managing Director of Enel Spa. Facilitating organization: SolarPower Europe.
– Round table on the transport and distribution of clean hydrogen
The focus is on pipelines, liquid organic hydrogen carriers (LOHC), liquid hydrogen (LH2) and ports. Co-presidents: Marcel van de Kar, director of new energies at Vopak; Jacques Vandermeiren, CEO of the Antwerp Port Authority; Marcelino Oreja Arburúa, CEO of Enagás SA. Facilitating organization: ENTSOG.
– Roundtable on clean hydrogen in industrial applications
The scope of this roundtable includes steel, chemicals, refineries, e-kerosene/e-fuels, fertilizers, process heat and cement. Co-presidents: David Herrero, COO of Fertiberia SA; Lars Peter Lindfors, Senior Vice President, Innovation, Neste Oyj; Martin Pei, executive vice president and technical director of SSAB. Facilitating organization: Cefic.
– Round table on clean hydrogen for mobility
Within its remit, trucks/buses, light commercial vehicles, trains, ships, fuel cells, drive trains, tanks and hydrogen refueling stations (HRS). Co-presidents: Thierry Best, commercial director of Alstom; Gerrit Marx, president of commercial and specialty vehicles at CNH Industrial; Petros Spinaris, Deputy General Manager, Head of Sales, Marketing and Customer Service at Solaris Bus & Coach. Facilitating organization: ACEA.
– Roundtable on clean hydrogen in the energy sector
Topics covered include re-electrification, megastorage and power grid/balancing. Co-chairs: Christian Bruch, CEO and President of Siemens Energy; Jaakko Eskola, President and CEO of Wärtsilä Corporation; Manon van Beek, CEO of TenneT. Facilitating organization: WindEurope.
– Roundtable on clean hydrogen for residential applications
This topic encompasses district heating, combined heat and power (CHP) and solid oxide fuel cells. Co-chairs: Volkmar Denner, CEO of Robert Bosch GmbH; Marie-Pierre Fauconnier, CEO of Sibelga; Konstantinos Xifaras, CEO of DEPA Commercial SA. Facilitating organization: European heating industry.
