Despite reductions in Europe and USA, CO2 emissions are still rising globally. While photovoltaic and wind energy productions are essential part of phasing-down fossil fuels, large-scale storage of renewable energy still needs to be developed, and hydrogen (H2) could play a major role. This green economy is now being prepared in part in Luxembourg by its university and a number of industrial stakeholders.
At the 2 Conference on "Energy Innovations and Issues on Ramping-Up European Hydrogen Economy" on July 12, the Department of Engineering of the University of Luxembourg, and the European Investment Bank (EIB) invited renowned experts and hydrogen economy actors on the University campus to share plans, best practices, and discuss potential roadblocks on the way to a clean hydrogen economy. Antonio Almagro from European Investment Bank (EIB) highlighted the importance of the multiannual cooperation between the Department of Engineering and the EIB in teaching and explained the increasing role of hydrogen in European policy and its ’Green Deal’. The conference, with an introduction by Prof. Stefan Maas, was organised as part of the Green SKHy Interreg project co-funded by the European Union, that was presented by Dr Natascha Kuhlmann of the University of Luxembourg. In total 17 partners from 6 countries and over 70 associated institutions including the University of Luxembourg work together in this project to promote hydrogen knowledge and skills.
At the EU level, a ’H2-Bank’ was set up to create a market of green hydrogen, produced through renewable means. Javier Garcia-Fernández, a Policy Officer of European Commission and of EU Hydrogen Bank, shared results of first auction, meant to minimise subsidies while ramping up a European hydrogen market. This ’H2-Bank’ was created to support domestic hydrogen in Europe, and is organising auctions, where producers of green hydrogen (RFNBO Hydrogen in the definitions of the European Commission) are supported through a fixed premium.
The Greater Region, at the heart of steelmaking in Europe, should benefit immensely from a large supply of clean hydrogen to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Approximately 350.000t of H2 could be consumed in Saarland only in a few years, as the steel industry is preparing its switch from coke to H2, according to Dr Bettina Hübschen of H2-Agentur Saarland. This new process was demonstrated in a demo experiment by Prof. Rolf Hempelmann from MINT-Campus St. Ingbert.
Luxembourg is buzzing with concrete initiatives around hydrogen. Doctoral researcher Branca Delmonte of the University of Luxembourg highlighted solutions to reduce carbon emissions in public transport, including hydrogen buses. Prof. Bradley Ladewig, presented the first steps in establishing a Luxembourg Hydrogen Valley , a collaborative effort of 17 partners from seven countries, with the University of Luxembourg as the main coordinator, to decarbonise the industrial hydrogen consumption of the country, using 100% renewable electricity to produce green hydrogen in Luxembourg. During the conference, rich in discussions and exchanges, industrial actors showcased concrete projects, such as a pilot plant to synthetic climate-neutral e-fuel in Chile (designed and realised by Siemens Energy Frankfurt and presented by Thomas Wich) and hydrogen combustion engines (Keyou Munich, presented by Pierre Steffen). Upcoming H2-pipelines to transport hydrogen in large quantities over long distances would connect the Greater Region to the future European hydrogen grid and allow to import green hydrogen produced with wind power from Belgian & Dutch offshore wind farms, presented Dr Hamacher from CREOS-Luxembourg). Dr Pit Losch, Advisor renewable energies and hydrogen at the Ministry of Economy, concluded the gathering by encouraging the stakeholders of the hydrogen economy to pursue its development.
