Dealing with Hydrogen
This week, the European Commission presented its Clean Industrial Deal which aims to accelerate decarbonization while securing the future of manufacturing in Europe.
It was generally well received by European shipowners and ports, and it was generally good news for the hydrogen industry.
Blackridge Research & Consulting recently listed the top seven green hydrogen projects globally, noting that the EU is among the leaders with projects such as BrintØ Green Hydrogen Island in Denmark and Aqua Ventus in Germany.
But there are still risks ahead:
“We must turn words into actions!” said Jorgo Chatzimarkakis, CEO of Hydrogen Europe. “If there is no positive development in the next 18 months, we are all but guaranteed to miss our 2030 climate targets. Focusing on demand and simplifying production rules and access to funding for clean technologies is paramount if we are to prevent this failure.”
That view was echoed by Anne H. Steffensen, CEO of Danish Shipping: “It is very positive that there is an emphasis on the production of green technology and green fuels within the EU. However, I need to see concrete plans for a massive scaling up of green fuel production. Without green fuels to power our ships, we will never achieve our goal of climate-neutral shipping.”
A suitable renewable energy supply will be key. “Europe’s wind energy continues to grow but only at half the rate we need,” says WindEurope CEO Giles Dickson. The EU has excellent new permitting rules, he says, but most countries are still not applying them.
For Aurelia Leeuw, Director of EU Policy at the SASHA Coalition and Opportunity Green, the EU’s support for biofuels represent a risk. Biofuels cut fewer emissions than e-fuels, endanger biodiversity, jeopardise energy and food security and are at risk of fraud. “Their use would only undercut maritime e-fuel production. Not clean, and certainly not competitive.”
The Clean Industrial Deal adds to efforts already underway for shipping. As Lloyd’s Register points out in its report on fuel choices under the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) and FuelEU Maritime: Understanding the impact of fuel options is complicated…
