“We already have commitments from strong industrial players and organizations. We intend to drum up the complete hydrogen value chain and apply for an EU Hydrogen Valley project. If successful, it could propel the Agder hydrogen industry to a new level,” says Alice Leland Høye, Project Manager at Business Region Kristiansand.
Agder is already a leading Norwegian region for hydrogen with one hydrogen factory under construction, an investment decision made by Å Energi to build another factory, and several large projects in the pipeline.
Tuesday, an Agder delegation to the European Hydrogen Week in Brussels met with top executives from the Clean Hydrogen Partnership, a private-public undertaking which supports research and innovation activities in hydrogen technologies in Europe.
Founded by the European Union, Hydrogen Europe, and Hydrogen Europe Research, the Clean Hydrogen Partnership currently supports 15 Hydrogen Valleys across 15 European countries. Together they represent investments of more than 1 billion euro.
WELCOMING A NORWEGIAN HYDROGEN VALLEY
“We would very much like to see a Hydrogen Valley in Norway,” said Executive Director Valerie Bouillon-Delporte and Head of Operations Mirela Atanasiu during the meeting Tuesday.
The next call from the Clean Hydrogen Partnership is scheduled for January with an application deadline in April. A large-scale project would generate 20 million euros in EU support over a period of 4 to 5 years.
“The input from the top executives was very useful. They also invited us to another meeting to discuss further details. Now it is up to us. We believe the Agder region is fully qualified to gain status as a large-scale Hydrogen Valley, of which there are only four in all of Europe,” says Høye.
“AGDER IS READY”
The Agder H2 Network is a strong supporter of the Hydrogen Valley initiative.
“Our region and our network comprise companies that are mature and willing to take part in this. This is a testament to how far the Agder industry has come in a short time,” says Tanja Erichsen, Head of the Agder H2 Network.
Trond Backer, CEO of the Kristiansand Chamber of Commerce, agrees.
“Hydrogen is gaining momentum and materializing in our region, most specifically exemplified by the building of a new hydrogen factory in Kristiansand. We will support this initiative,” says Backer.
220 EXHIBITORS IN BRUSSELS
The European Hydrogen Week in Brussels gathered visitors and more than 220 exhibitors from all over the world – including a Norwegian pavilion with more than 20 companies present.
Inge Hedenstad Stangeland, Project Manager at Kvinesdal Municipality, where some large green ammonia projects are in the planning, spent two days in Brussels to connect with the European and global hydrogen industry.
“It is important to gain the European perspective on hydrogen, a perspective which is often different from the Norwegian. It provides greater insight and helps us succeed in this emerging industry,” says Stangeland.
HYDROGEN MARKET SHOWS PROMISE
A report from Hydrogen Europe shows that despite shortcomings, the past year has shown a lot of promising signs that the global hydrogen market is achieving lift off. Not only in Europe, but well across the Atlantic, in China, India, Japan and in the Middle East investments into clean hydrogen production are rapidly growing.
“However, the job is far from done with only 4 percent of the announced clean hydrogen volumes in Europe under construction,” according to the report.
