Joining forces for the hydrogen economy

Cooperation agreed

27.11.2019, 08:00

Joining forces for the hydrogen economy

Seven partners in Belgium are pooling their expertise on the road to a sustainable hydrogen-based economy: The seaports of Antwerp and Zeebrugge, the hydraulic engineering company Deme, the energy supplier Engie, the shipping company Exmar, the pipeline operator Fluxys and the development platform WaterstofNet.

The first step: a joint study. It is intended to lay the foundations for the implementation of concrete projects in the production, transportation and storage of hydrogen and to support Belgium in reducing the country's carbon dioxide emissions by 80 percent by 2050 compared to 2005 levels.

Belgium: Import of renewable energies necessary
It is crucial for the future viability of a sustainable hydrogen economy to be able to provide sufficient electricity from renewable energy sources for hydrogen production. As wind and solar energy are not available in sufficient quantities in Belgium, some of the necessary renewable energy must be imported.

Partners pool expertise
However, efficient and economical solutions for import, transportation and storage require special expertise. That is why seven industrial companies and public stakeholders are joining forces: Deme, Engie, Exmar, Fluxys, Port of Antwerp, Port of Zeebrugge and WaterstofNet have signed a cooperation agreement to pool their expertise and take steps towards a Belgian hydrogen economy.

Roadmap for hydrogen as an energy carrier
In a first phase, the partners will jointly analyze the entire import and transport chain for hydrogen. The aim is to map the financial, technical and regulatory aspects of the various components of the logistics chain: Production, loading and unloading as well as transportation by sea and via pipelines. The result of the analysis will be a roadmap that defines the best approach for the transportation of hydrogen for the various applications in the energy and chemical sectors.

Jacques Vandermeiren, CEO Port of Antwerp: "We want to open up all opportunities for hydrogen as an energy carrier, as a basic element of chemistry and as a fuel, and to be an active pioneer in the hydrogen economy. As the largest integrated chemical cluster in Europe, we are an important link in this process. We are also focused on cooperation with leading clusters and research institutions and want to learn from this hydrogen coalition for our international ambitions."

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