“How quickly can we implement the energy transition?” This question has been posed for some time by the Port of Rotterdam, the largest European sea freight transshipment point. In the past – and still today – the huge industrial area was shaped by the oil and gas industry. Among other things, four large refineries are located there, which now need to be decarbonized. Boudewijn Siemons, CEO and COO of the Port of Rotterdam Authority, stated, “If it can be done electrically, it should be – with hydrogen otherwise.”
To drive this transformation process forward, together with the gas supplier Gasunie, the port company is initially dedicating itself to infrastructure, because “infrastructure is an enabler,” as Gasunie CEO Willemien Terpstra states. One of the main projects is a new pipeline system – for hydrogen and carbon dioxide. The new construction of the Hydrogen Backbone (H2) as well as the Porthos pipe system (CO2) started in October 2023 with the groundbreaking ceremony by the Dutch king Willem-Alexander.
The port is receiving significant political support. “I see a government that is really working to remove obstacles,” says the port head. This also benefits Germany, where a large proportion of the energy supplied will be forwarded. Accordingly, the Netherlands also sees Germany as the main customer for hydrogen –particularly the state of Nordrhein-Westfalen.
The time of waiting is over, because large coal-fired power plants in the port will be shut down in 2030 (see Fig. 2). However, eliminating CO2 emissions from fossil fuels is only one path to reducing carbon dioxide emissions 55 percent by 2030. In addition to increasing efficiency, negative CO2 emissions will also be necessary, so the carbon dioxide produced must be stored using CCS (carbon capture & storage). “If we want to reduce CO2 emissions, there is no way around CCS,” according to Siemons.
Fig. 2: The coal-fired power plant located behind the substation will be shut down by 2030
The goal is CO2 neutrality by 2050. By then, the approximately 100 million tonnes of crude oil imported annually in Rotterdam are to be replaced by other media. For example, around 15 million tonnes of oil are to be substituted by 20 million tonnes of hydrogen, whereby about 90 percent of the hydrogen required will be imported.
As to the question of how long the planned “temporary use of blue hydrogen” could last, the answer came clear: “Decades.” Blue hydrogen or “low-carbon hydrogen,” as it and other non-green H2 compositions have been called for some time now, are to serve as the initial spark for building an H2 economy. It is already clear today that the associated lock-in effects will be considerable, as the billions invested are to be amortized over at least 15 years.
The capture of CO2 is only part of the task to be accomplished. Extracting small amounts of carbon dioxide from a gas stream is still relatively simple and efficient, but the larger the percentage is to be, the more complex it becomes. The port has initial experience in this area: For example, CO2 is already being captured there and used in greenhouses to improve plant growth. Ulrich Bünger from the energy consulting company LBST is nevertheless skeptical and stated in Rotterdam that CCS is still a long way from being where it is supposed to be. There is “hardly any experience,” according to the energy expert, while the impression is given that the technology is tried and tested.
Infrastructure is key For the infrastructure and its operators, it doesn’t matter how the hydrogen was produced. Willemien Terpstra, CEO of gas transmission company Gasunie, said on the matter: “We are ready to transport any color.” Accordingly, Gasunie already made the final investment decision for the pipeline construction last year, although only five percent of the capacity has been sold so far, as the appointed CEO since March 2024 has explained. Of course, the government’s strong commitment was decisive here, which is contributing 50 percent of the costs. The aim is to jointly complete the pipe system by 2030, which will then be able to provide 10 GW of power.
Shell refinery in Port of Rotterdam
To H2-international’s inquiry of how the hydrogen would be transported to Rotterdam, CEO Boudewijn Siemons named all the options: ammonia, methanol, LH2 and LOHC – No variant is excluded from the outset. When asked whether the port company could handle large quantities of ammonia safely, Siemons initially hesitated briefly, but then replied confidently, “Yes, I think we can do that. I’m pretty sure of that.” At the same time, however, he conceded that “not every place in the port” is suitable.
As ammonia tanks have been present in the port for a long time, the corresponding expertise already exists. The plan is to triple the storage capacity for ammonia in the next few years compared to 2023. However, such a change in fuels and energy storage media is unlikely to significantly alter the appearance of the world’s eleventh largest port, the operators are certain. Even though the media will be different, many installations will look similar to before. It is already clear today that an infrastructure for LOHC and LH2 is also being developed. Corresponding partnerships with Chiyoda and Hydrogenious already exist.
200‑MW electrolyzer from Shell The highlight in the harbor, however, is Holland Hydrogen 1 (see Fig. 1), a 200‑MW electrolyzer that is dimensioned in such a way that the green hydrogen produced with the help of wind turbines can then replace the amount of gray hydrogen so far required in the port. The electricity required is sourced from a 759‑MW offshore wind farm (Hollandse Kust Noord) north of Rotterdam, which is directly connected. In order to meet all EU regulations, H2 production (approx. 20,000 tonnes per year) will follow the respective wind supply, even if this means that the electrolyzers cannot run 24/7.
For this project, for which the final investment decision has already been made, Shell received this year’s Green Hydrogen Project Award during the World Hydrogen Summit. The area on which the in total ten 20‑MW electrolyzer modules from Thyssenkrupp Nucera is to be installed is what’s called “proclaimed land” that was wrested from the North Sea. Where the conversion park is being built used to be water. However, it is likely to take until the end of the decade before it goes into operation. In the future, also Holland Hydrogen 2 could follow – a second area with likewise 200 MW. By 2030, this could already be 2 GW.
The H2 pipes (black) and the CO2 pipes (white) are sometimes only 40 cm apart
The corresponding H2 pipeline, which is currently under construction, will then connect the H2 production facility with the various refineries and other customers. Sufficient wind for green hydrogen production is available in Rotterdam. In the port area alone 300 MW of wind power are installed. As this is more electricity than is needed, a large stationary accumulator has already been installed, to be able to temporarily store at least some of this green electricity.
The hydrogen tubes measure 1.2 m (48 inches) in diameter and are pressurized with 30 to 50 bar. The construction of the first 30 kilometers across the port is costing 100 million euros. The entire H2 Backbone network within the Netherlands (1,100 km) is expected to cost 1.5 to 2 billion euros. However, 85 percent of the future H2 pipeline system will consist of repurposed natural gas pipes.
Parallel in construction is the CO2 pipeline Porthos. This pipe system connects numerous locations in the port with the platform off the coast, via which the carbon dioxide is then to be fed into subsea gas fields.
The H2 pipes for the Hydrogen Backbone are ready and are currently being placed underground
Future Land informs about H2 activities To be able to inform about all these activities, the port has set up “Future Land,” a contact point for tourists, school classes, the press and investors, where they can get answers to their questions about the future of the port. The information center is located right below the world’s largest wind turbine. The Haliade-X 13 is 260 m high (853 ft) and has an output of 14 megawatts. It is designed for offshore wind farms in the North Sea, but has been tested on land since 2021 and can supply six million households with electricity.
In view of the fact that a third of the energy required in Germany comes into the country via Rotterdam, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, stated: “If the Port of Rotterdam is doing well, the European economy is doing well.”
A completely different league to Hannover Messe or Hy-Fcell in Stuttgart: The World Hydrogen Summit & Exhibition in Rotterdam showed from May 13 to 15, 2024 where the H2 event sector can go. Similarly to the Hydrogen Technology Conference & Expo in Bremen, the organizers staged a large, professional industry gathering, which most participants were impressed by, if not enthusiastic about, which makes you wonder why the fair only lasted two days.
On both days, the floor of the Ahoy Arena was not only bustling with activity, but downright alive and lively – everything was bursting with energy. Full aisles, intensive exchanges and a loud babble of voices – not only at the evening stand parties. A completely different dimension than at most events so far, especially German ones. Even long-time trade fair visitors were impressed by what the organizers described as the “world’s largest” exhibition focusing on hydrogen.
Notable was the number of domestic exhibitors as well as the sometimes very large number of country representatives (20 in total), not least thanks to the support of the Dutch government as co-organizer of the event. Australia, Andalusia, Canada, Chile, Finland, India, Japan, Korea, Morocco, Namibia, Norway, Oman, South Africa and Uruguay, for example, all had their own stands. The VDMA (German association of mechanical engineers) had its own joint PtX stand, and a number of German companies were also present, albeit often with their Dutch representatives.
at the fair with participants from Australia and all over the world.
Among the exhibitors was also Hilux, a Toyota subsidiary, which presented a converted pick-up truck. The prototype, of which a total of ten units have now been built, has a fuel cell system from the Mirai 2 instead of the diesel unit as well as three H2 pressurized gas tanks, which are installed underfloor behind the driver’s seat, while the battery is located on the passenger side. Currently, the vehicles are being tested by customers and it is not unlikely that this model will actually be ready for series production.
Among the trade fair visitors was also the Dutch energy minister Rob Jetten (left), here at the Norway stand in conversation with Maurice Adriaensen, director at DNV Energy Systems
The Hydrogen Transport Award of the SEC (Sustainable Energy Council) was won this year by the Australian company Fortescue with its ammonia-powered ship. Green Pioneer is considered the first ship of its kind to be certified to use ammonia in combination with diesel as a marine fuel. Mark Hutchinson, CEO of Fortescue Energy, said: “Green Pioneer is a testament to our delivery capability and commitment and shows the future of green ammonia as a marine fuel. But our work doesn’t stop here. We are now calling on regulators, ports and institutions to join us in accelerating the adoption of ammonia as a marine fuel. Let us create green maritime hubs and corridors together and usher in a new era of sustainable shipping.”
Emma White, head of marketing for the British organizer Sustainable Energy Council (SEC), spoke to H2-international of more than 15,000 trade fair and more than 2,000 conference guests (if a person appears on three days, they are counted three times) as well as 500 exhibitors who presented their products and services. At the Hydrogen Technology Conference & Expo in Bremen last year were around 550 exhibitors and more than 10,000 visitors.
Large, prominent conference Similar to Hannover, there were two presentation forums where current developments were provided in the form of lectures, and a truly impressively large three-day conference that easily eclipses German congresses in terms of both the prominence of the speakers and the number of participants. (The only irritating thing was that not all conference guests knew that the trade fair did not run parallel on every day.) There was also an Africa Hydrogen Forum and the awarding of the World Hydrogen Awards.
Visit from New Mexico Noteworthy was the visit of the governor of New Mexico: Michelle Lujan Grisham appeared in the Netherlands with an accompanying entourage and business representatives to promote the settlement of potential interested parties on the abundant land available in New Mexico. The US state, which has so far been dominated by oil and gas, is consciously focusing on the transformation process, in order to create a new future for the country and the many people working in the energy sector.
During an on-site talk with H2-international, the governor expressed that New Mexico is well prepared for the energy transition and has no fears about a presidential change should it come to that in November 2024. The detailed interview will follow in the October 2024 edition of H2-international.
Water resources in the German state of Brandenburg have long been the subject of much discussion, even before the construction of the Tesla factory in Grünheide near Berlin. Similarly, the resident hydrogen industry has a need for large quantities of water. However, a recent study has now given the all-clear, confirming that Brandenburg has enough water.
In the feasibility study for the hydrogen starter network, annual demand for water (of potable quality) was assumed to be around 8 million cubic meters for optimized electrolyzer plants and up to around 37 million cubic meters for plants with open cooling systems and evaporative cooling. The report concluded that the supposed water requirement for developing local hydrogen potential would therefore equate to around 1 to 6 percent of Brandenburg’s current water extraction level (compared with the year 2019).
The region’s economy minister Jörg Steinbach acknowledges that water is a linchpin for the hydrogen industry while recognizing at the same time that it is not always widely available. This is why he says it’s important to always check water availability at a particular site. “When resources are limited, then the drinking water supply for residents, for example, comes before hydrogen production,” the minister stated.
The study is intended to illustrate the need for a transformation of the water system as part of the energy transition, explained course manager Martin Zerta from Ludwig-Bölkow-Systemtechnik. “The structural shift toward renewable hydrogen also provides the opportunity to optimize water extraction and usage, both now and in the future.” This includes, e.g., the potential use of wastewater. According to Zerta, this is an area where Brandenburg could harness synergies that exist between oxygen, wastewater and waste heat.
The study entitled “Water consumption in the context of hydrogen production in the state of Brandenburg” was commissioned by the Brandenburg ministry for economy, work and energy and prepared by a consortium comprising Ludwig-Bölkow-Systemtechnik, DHI WASY and Water Science Policy.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz visits Hydrogen + Fuel Cells Europe
The atmosphere was good. Not ecstatic, as was sometimes the case last year, but certainly lively. Especially in Hall 13, where the Hydrogen + Fuel Cells Europe event took place, where the aisles well filled and the babble of voices was much louder than in the other halls on the exhibition grounds. Nevertheless, the impression remains that also in the 30th year of this H2 fair, the market breakthrough is still a long time coming and will happen “in only five years,” as has been said for 20 years.
Hannover Messe still lays claim to being the world’s most important industrial trade fair – according to Dr. Jochen Köckler, the board chairman of Deutsche Messe AG, it is even the “mother of all trade fairs.” As in previous years, it also benefited from April 22 to 26, 2024 immensely from the current H2 boom. The great interest in hydrogen and fuel cell technology once again led to acceptable exhibitor and visitor numbers. New impetus as an indication of the direction in which the traditional trade fair business could develop there were however none.
It could be said that the H2 fair has once again rescued Deutsche Messe’s balance sheet.
Chancellor Scholz visits H2 businesses Not without reason did German chancellor Olaf Scholz give Hydrogen + Fuel Cells Europe a visit. The focus of his opening tour lay in the energy halls, where he stopped at Salzgitter (“We’re proceeding together on the trip” – see Fig. 2) as well as by GP Joule. Ove Petersen, cofounder and one of the managing directors of GP Joule, stressed how important the improvement of political framework conditions are to actually be able to establish electrolyzer capacities (see also p. 18).
Chancellor O. Scholz with the Norwegian Minister-President J. G. Støre, Salzgitter head G. Groebler, Minister-President of Niedersachsen S. Weil, Norwegian economy minister C. Myrseth,German family ministerL. Paus and German research minister B. Stark-Watzinger
Revealing word choice Interesting to observe was how the word choice of some areas changed. For example, in numerous lectures were again and again talk of “Low-Carbon-Wasserstoff” (low-carbon hydrogen). With this crafted word, the speakers smoothly circumvent the classification of hydrogen into the, by some, really unpopular color scale. “Low-Carbon” implies that during the H2 production, little carbon dioxide is emitted, but avoids a stigmatization by the attribute “gray,” “blue” or “turquoise,” since even the smallest blending with green hydrogen is enough to be able to designate it as low-carbon.
Green or blue For Olaf Lies, the state of Niedersachen’s economy minister, blue hydrogen is “a huge matter for achieving the climate targets.” In view of the tiresome discussion about color, he pointed out in Hannover that nobody asks about the color of electricity. “This must also be the case with hydrogen,” according to the minister.
Another innovation in the language style seems to concern the working principle in the hydrogen economy: Ever more frequently heard are sentences (in English), like “Partnership is the new leadership” or “Cooperation is key.” More and more players are realizing that the transformation process currently underway in the energy sector cannot be mastered alone, but only together.
What’s remained the same, in contrast, is the time horizon until the market ramp-up. Here we are still at five years. While in recent years it was still said that H2 trucks would be built in series starting 2025, representatives of the vehicle industry made it very clear that significant unit sales could not be expected in Germany until 2029 the earliest. Different is the situation in Asia: Refire advertised, for example, that it could already build 5,000 fuel cell systems per year.
After all, Dr. Matthias Jurytko, CEO of Cellcentric committed himself both to H2 technology and to Germany as a business location by saying: “Many talk about factories – We’re building one.” He also clarified: “Hydrogen will be the driver for long-haul transport.” At the same time, however, he conceded: “An increase in unit sales will not come until 2029/30.”
Dr. Jurytko: “There will be no long-haul transport without hydrogen.”
At around the same time, gray hydrogen could be just as expensive as green hydrogen due to rising CO2 prices, anticipates Gilles Le Van from Air Liquide.
Lively exchange in the forums In addition, in the Public Forum of Hydrogen + Fuel Cells Europe (see Fig. 3 and 4), exhibitors once again explained their new developments this year or discussed them with guests from industry and politics. For example, what framework conditions or incentives for sector coupling and flexibilization of energy consumption are still lacking, or where and how green hydrogen will be produced in sufficiently large quantities worldwide.
Also the question of how much hydrogen Germany will produce itself and how much will be imported from its European neighbors moderator Ulrich Walter discussed with various guests. Christian Maaß, head of the department for energy policy at the federal economy ministry (BMWK), cited estimates that Germany could produce just under half of its climate-neutral hydrogen requirements itself, with the remainder having to be imported.
When asked by the moderator why the electrolysis capacities would not be immediately increased to 20 GW by 2030, replied Maaß, “With higher targets I would be careful, as electrolyzers need a lot of electricity.” He therefore advocates aligning the production of green H2 with the expansion of renewable energy. Not least to avoid conflicting objectives, because the direct consumption of green electricity should have priority. In this respect, he assumes that large quantities of green hydrogen will probably be imported from overseas, in the form of ammonia, methane and SAF (sustainable aviation fuel). Overall, however, Germany will need around ten percent of the world’s H2 production, making it a global player.
A completely different view is held by Heinrich Gärtner, founder and CTO of the GP Joule Group. He was convinced “that we can produce much more green hydrogen domestically than we today think,” and explained: “We already have a large potential for renewable energies, and this is continuing to grow. This also increases the amount of surplus electricity that can be used to produce hydrogen using electrolysis.” This is not only sensible, but also necessary. This relieves the strain on the grids and enables local value creation. In his view, Germany only needs a tiny proportion of its land area to produce all the renewable energy it needs itself. “We have everything here: the technology and the infrastructure.”
Numerous political representatives were on hand to answer questions
Cooperation in the European Area Werner Diwald, chairman of the German hydrogen association (DWV), said, “The EU member states should be our main importing countries, not least to strengthen mutual relations and support stability within the European Union.” He also expressed optimism that the hydrogen economy could be ramped up quickly once a market and corresponding business models were in place. Something similar has already been seen with renewable energies. It should not be forgotten: The whole world needs green hydrogen. Germany therefore has a lot of competition, as other countries are also pursuing their own H2 strategies, according to Diwald.
The politicians present proved that the envisaged transformation process has long been underway with some impressive figures: For example, Olaf Lies spoke about 30 large gas-fired power plants in Niedersachsen that are to be made H2-ready. And his colleague Mona Neubaur, economy minister of Nordrhein-Westfalen (NRW), announced 200 hydrogen refueling stations by 2030. “We’re placing the infrastructure in the region with precision.” She asserted that NRW is to become the first CO2-neutral industrial region.
Hermes Startup Award: And the winner is … As every year, the trade fair awards a prize to a particularly innovative company that is no more than five years old. For 2024, the Hermes Startup Award went to Archigas from Rüsselsheim, Germany. The company received the award for a moisture-resistant sensor for measuring hydrogen. The principle, which was developed together with the university Hochschule RheinMain, is based, according to the manufacturer, on an improved measurement of thermal conductivity on a microchip. The innovative technology is characterized by “miniaturization, robust design, short measuring times and a wide range of applications,” praised Prof. Holger Hanselka, president of the Fraunhofer research institutes and chair of the jury for the Hermes Startup Awards. Archigas is an “excellent example for innovation-driven businesses,” which have created the basis for the hydrogen economy to form.
Norway as a pioneer for green industrial transformation The partner country Norway was represented with its own pavilion on the topics of energy, process industry, battery and charging solutions, and digitalization in Hall 12 and also on the orange carpet of the H2 trade fair – with the (English) slogan “Pioneering the Green Industrial Transition.” As an energy producer and pioneer in e-mobility, the Scandinavian country sees itself as a kind of catalyst for accelerating the green transition to a low-carbon society. For example, in the development of renewable energies and the use of digital solutions to trim the industry to net zero, as the H2 expert and former LBST employee Ulrich Bünger explained, who in “retirement” advises Norwegian Energy Partners (Norwep). The aim is to produce around four percent of Europe’s estimated ten million tonnes of hydrogen imports by 2030.
“Norway and Germany are important trading partners, and we have entered into a strategic industrial partnership for renewable energy and green industry,” said the Norwegian trade and industry minister Jan Christian Vestre in the opening of the fair. “We hope that the Norwegian presence at Hannover Messe will further strengthen this close cooperation between our two countries,” he said.
Honda showed its new FC system
The EEA (European Economic Area) Agreement means that Norway is fully integrated into the European single market, so trade and investment should flow seamlessly between Norway, Germany and the other countries of the European Union. During the trade fair, Germany also concluded an agreement with its Scandinavian partner on the storage of carbon dioxide (carbon capture and storage, CCS).
A major order was able to be announced by Norwegian manufacturer of hydrogen storage systems Hexagon Purus. Starting the second quarter of 2024, it will supply H2 tanks to the Berlin-based company Home Power Solutions (HPS), which claims to have developed the world’s first year-round electricity storage system for buildings. The Picea system will be primarily used in single-family homes in combination with PV modules. Surplus solar power, which is mainly generated in summer, will be converted into green hydrogen using an electrolyzer, which will be stored in high-pressure tanks from Hexagon. In winter, this is then used for reconversion to electricity. According to information from HPS, this allows buildings to be supplied with solar energy all year round. “Our high-pressure hydrogen tanks are flexible and scalable, making them suitable for a wide range of applications,” such as with HPS, said Matthias Kötter, managing director of the location in Weeze.
Creativity and inventiveness in Hall 13 A product innovation was presented for example by SFC Energy with the EFOY H2PowerPack X50, a pilot series for the most powerful fuel cell system to date with up to 200 kW in cluster operation. According to the FC specialist from Bavaria, this latest development offers the user a continuous electrical output power of 50 kW. However, up to four of these H2PowerPacks can be connected together to reach an output of 200 kW. The environmentally and climate-friendly alternative to diesel generators is equipped with standard 400 V AC connections, an integrated lithium battery and a 300‑bar hydrogen interface.
The operation is, according to information from the manufacturer, emissions-free; no CO2, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides or fine particles are emitted. Likely applications include the emergency power supply of hospitals or communication and IT systems, mobile power supply for construction sites and events or a continuous power supply for self-sufficient companies. “With the push into higher performance classes, SFC Energy is responding to correspondingly high market demand,” announced the company founded in 2000 and headquartered in Brunnthal near Munich. The series production and market introduction are planned for the beginning of 2025.
This year’s H2 Eco Award went to the energy park Bad Lauchstädt
Lhyfe expands What the hydrogen ramp-up looks like from the perspective of the Lhyfe Group, which now operates in eleven European countries, was reported by Luc Graré, who heads the Central and Eastern Europe division: “We are right now scaling up our production.” He describes the philosophy of the hydrogen pioneer, which was founded in 2017, as follows: “We start small, learn, grow, learn again, grow further and then scale up.” After the company started with an electrolysis capacity of one megawatt in France, it is now 10 MW.
Currently, six production plants for green hydrogen are planned or in the construction phase: Three in France, three in Germany. “And it will be increasingly more,” he said. A 10‑MW plant is currently under construction in the Niedersachen port town of Brake (on the Unterweser). Up to 1,150 tonnes of green H2 are to be produced there annually, which will go to regional customers from the industrial and transport sectors. The company has secured the purchase of green electricity through long-term electricity contracts (PPAs) with operators of wind farms and photovoltaic systems.
Another 10‑MW plant has been under construction in Schwäbisch Gmünd in Baden-Württemberg since autumn 2023, and is scheduled to go into operation in the second half of this year – with a production of up to four tonnes of green hydrogen per day. Still under development is the plan to commission an 800‑MW plant in Lubmin, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern by 2029, which is to be built on the site of the decommissioned nuclear power plant. According to information from Lhyfe, the hydrogen produced there in the future could be fed into the emerging hydrogen network.
Formic acid as H2 storage Even outside Hall 13 was a lot about hydrogen. At some stands it looked like a chemistry lab, with bubbling water in glass vessels or a cloudy nutrient liquid in transparent bioreactors. With one, Festo, in Hall 7 showed its latest achievement in H2 storage: the so-called BionicHydrogenBattery (see Fig. 7). It contains bacteria from Lake Kivu in Central Africa that convert hydrogen into formic acid in a natural process. In this chemically bound form, hydrogen is comparatively easy to store and transport. It is also more climate-friendly, as there is no need for energy-intensive compression or cooling to ‑253 °C to liquefy hydrogen. The conditions under which the microorganisms do their work are moderate: They need a temperature of 65 °C and a pressure of 1.5 bar.
The cultivation reactor of the BionicHydrogenBattery from Festo
Normally, the bacteria called Thermoanaerobacter kivui live in sludge in the absence of oxygen (anaerobe). They have an enzyme with which they can convert hydrogen and carbon dioxide into formic acid (CH2O2). They can also reverse the process. The basic research in this area was carried out by the team around Volker Müller, Professor at the Goethe-Universität Frankfurt and head of the department of molecular microbiology and bioenergetics, with which the bionic project team of Festo, according to its information, is working closely.
From an economic point of view, the exciting thing about this biological process is not only the speed of the reaction, but also the fact that the bacteria act as catalysts: “They are not used up,” stated the globally active company specialized in automation technology and founded in Esslingen 1925. “The process can be repeated at will with sufficient regeneration phases – just like a cycle,” they stated. As the reaction can take place in both directions, bacteria of this type are able to break down formic acid back into hydrogen and carbon dioxide at the target site. The CO2 can then be used in the beverage industry, for example.
Positive conclusion At the closing press conference, Jochen Köckler came to, as expected, a positive tally: More than 130,000 visitors from over 150 countries met 4,000 exhibitors from 60 countries. Of these, 40 percent of the visitors came from abroad: most of them from China and the neighboring Netherlands, followed by the USA, Korea and Japan. Gunnhild Brumm from the Norwegian business development organization Innovation Norway was pleased about the good business and contract conclusions: “In short: It was really worth it! It was a real boost for us. We would love to come back.” Not as a partner country again, of course, because next year that will be Canada.
“We are laying the foundations for the H2 economy of the future…. The speed of artificial intelligence (AI) is too high in some places, but we absolutely need more speed for hydrogen.”
Despite challenging times, there are still reports of new H2 projects going ahead. For example, in mid-May 2024, building work began on a 10-megawatt electrolyzer in the Magdeburg region of Germany. It is here, in Osterweddingen, that energy company Enertrag intends to make green hydrogen using power generated from its own wind turbines.
Of the 900 metric tons that will be initially produced each year, a proportion will be fed into the Ontras hydrogen pipeline. A supply of hydrogen will also be funneled to the planned hydrogen mobility hub which will serve Keyou H2 trucks, among other vehicles. In addition, Ryze Power intends to use hydrogen to power its construction machinery.
Enertrag board member Tobias Bischof-Niemz said: “Hydrogen is an essential element in the energy transition and offers solutions for the decarbonization of various sectors, from heavy industry to long-distance transportation. By being connected directly to our nearby wind and solar farms, this electrolyzer will not only produce green hydrogen, but will also help attract other industries to the region and increase local value creation.”
The electrolyzer will be installed in the local industrial park which is located only around 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) from the proposed Intel chip factory. According to Enertrag, it will be used to support the energy system by offsetting fluctuations in the generation of electricity from wind and solar sources, thereby relieving the strain on the power grid.
E-fuels – irrespective of their disputed suitability for the car sector – will be essential for the decarbonization of the transport sector. Hence German transportation minister Volker Wissing is continuing with his campaign to ramp up e-fuels. On June 4, 2024, he underlined his approach by hosting the second International E-Fuels Dialogue in Berlin and used the event as a launchpad for his “Berlin declaration.” According to information from the German transportation ministry, it was an “agreement on technological openness, joint research and development and uniform standards.”
Fig.: The Berlin declaration is signed by German transportation minister Volker Wissing, the Lithuanian minister for transport and communication Marius Skuodis and the Japanese parliamentary vice minister for economy, trade and industry Taku Ishii (from right)
efuels-dialog-2024-07.jpg
Source: BMDV
Wissing explained: “E-fuels are, alongside battery electric propulsion and hydrogen, an important option for future climate-smart transportation – in the air, on the water and on the road. […] We want to encourage research and development as well as the construction of production plants. For this, we’d like to attract private-sector investment as well. We will further accelerate the expansion in renewables.”
Marius Skuodis, minister for transport and communication in Lithuania, said: “Thanks to its considerable renewables potential, Lithuania is in a position to become a producer of hydrogen and associated synthetic fuels.” Taku Ishii, parliamentary vice minister for economy, trade and industry in Japan, added: “The concept of the ‘triple breakthrough’ – realizing decarbonization, economic growth and energy security simultaneously – has a key role to play in achieving a carbon-neutral society. In this context, e-fuels are capable of contributing significantly to the triple breakthrough.”
The next edition of the E-Fuels Dialogue will be held in Tangier, Morocco, in summer 2025.
ILA in Berlin
E-fuels were also a key topic at the ILA Berlin Air Show which took place in the German capital from June 5 through 9, 2024. It was here that the former petroleum association and now industry association for fuels and energy en2x indicated that there will be “an EU blending mandate for sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) from next year.” Chief executive Christian Küchen explained: “Quotas alone are, however, not enough to stimulate the investment that is now required in SAF production. The EU’s E-SAF quota will rise to 5 percent in 2035. It’s not clear at the moment if the plants needed for this will be ready in time.”
At the air show, the association handed over a list of demands including 10 suggested actions to the German government’s representative for German aerospace Anna Christmann and the parliamentary state secretary at the German transportation ministry Oliver Luksic.
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11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checbox-functional
11 months
The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checbox-others
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy
11 months
The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
