H2 Energy Group

The Federal Cabinet adopted the draft yesterday (October 1), and it will now be passed to the Bundestag and Bundesrat for debate and approval. Originally proposed by the previous government, the act would give hydrogen projects “overriding public interest” status until 2045, allowing legal priority for approvals. Currently, the main regulatory shifts in Germany include fast-tracking, litigation changes, digitalisation, and pipeline conversion. The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE) previously said the act would “clear deadlines, comprehensive requirements for digitalisation, and simplified procurement procedures.” H2 View understands that the act will cover the entire hydrogen supply chain, from [...]

Last December, the government pledged to create an H2P business model, based on a dispatchable power agreement (DPA) framework, and launched a call for early projects last April. The government is now asking industry how H2P plants should be categorised in the Capacity Market, whether as combustion units, blending projects, fuel cells or closed-loop systems, and what de-rating factors should apply to each. It is also seeking views on how reliability should be treated where plants have a natural gas back-up, as well as whether existing technology classes are sufficient or new ones are needed. The government said this will [...]

The Knapton H2 Storage consortium has been awarded Discovery funding by Ofgem’s Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) to evaluate storage potential in the Knapton, North Yorkshire, area. Specifically, the study will investigate depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs, porous aquifers, salt deposits, and lined rock shaft options in the Vale of Pickering and the wider North Yorkshire region to assess the suitability of hydrogen storage. The consortium is also exploring how hydrogen storage could provide a clean backup fuel supply for nearby gas-fired plants. “Centrica’s Knapton site is being redeveloped as a clean energy hub for solar generation, green hydrogen production, and battery storage,” [...]

The six-month pilot will operate 16 solar hydrogen reactors, covering 30m², powered solely by sunlight and water. The trial is expected to test performance, durability, scalability, and generate data for commercialisation. Partner GTI Energy will support the trial with safety review and on-site systems integration. “With its decades of leadership, including its Hydrogen Technology Centre operations experience and role in major national hydrogen programs, GTI Energy is the right collaborator to help ensure safe and successful execution,” explained Tim Young, SunHydrogen CEO. The Hydrogen Protohub is expected to be a testbed and training site for emerging hydrogen and clean energy [...]

Echoing the opening pragmatic address from Dr Leila Benali, Ryad Mezzour, Minister of Industry and Commerce, admitted to feeling “lost” with the often confusing claims surrounding hydrogen forecasts, before advocating a more pragmatic approach to generate growth. “We are still asking a lot of questions. The next rule is ‘just be competitive – then let’s make it green’. You just need to be the best, and that will give you energy without counting on anyone else,” said Minister Mezzour. Over the last year, he said he had seen more than 40 projects, 100 investors and up to 60 potential offtakers. [...]

This feels like a crunch point. The overly ambitious hype is gone, frameworks are forming, but the European clean hydrogen market still struggles. And just how long it can sustain this struggle is not clear. These challenges are not exclusive to hydrogen. The calls for local content requirements and phase-in periods could be applied to almost any European energy or commodity, or to various types of manufacturing. This is a paid article, to read the article in full you can sign in if you are subscribed or subscribe today.

Those were among the key talking points during the opening day of the World Power-to-X summit in Marrakech. Morocco’s strategy strongly advocates a collaborative approach. Masen, the Moroccan agency for sustainable energy, acts as the primary point of contact for investors, while the ‘Offre Maroc’ (Morocco offer) aims to attract private investors and developers for industrial-scale green hydrogen and derivatives. So far, it is working with firms from the US, Spain, Germany, China, KSA and the UAE. Christoph Rauh, Director of Africa at Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, said Morocco is “probably its most crucial partner in [...]

The remaining nine GenEco electrolyser modules are due before the plant’s completion in the first half of next year. Once operational, the 100MW facility is expected to cut the refinery’s emissions by around 110,000 tonnes per year. “Half of all grey hydrogen demand sits today in refineries and chemical plants,” explained Ronald Doesburg, Galp’s Executive Vice-President in charge of the Industrial business unit. “With our first 100MW, we will have started the decarbonisation of our Sines refinery. It’s a decisive first step for Galp, but also for the industry.” In 2023, the Portuguese energy company took a final investment decision [...]

They argue that overly rigid rules on additionality, spatial and temporal correlation are stalling projects, causing cancellations, and putting Europe at risk of missing its hydrogen deployment targets while global competitors surge ahead. EU rules for renewable fuels of non-biological origin (RFNBO) require electrolyser operators, from 2028, to use new renewable assets in the same grid region and match their output with power generation on an hourly basis. Ahead of the EU’s Omnibus Regulation and review of the RFNBO Delegated Act, the letter stressed that RFNBO must remain central to EU strategy, but with a revised additionality principle and extended [...]

Advocating natural gas at the outset of a green hydrogen and renewables-oriented two-day summit may have seemed an unlikely topic to greet many of the 2,000 delegates in the Palais de Congress auditorium. But Dr. Leila Benali’s comments signalled a focus on pragmatism in maintaining hydrogen’s momentum amid challenging market conditions. “We cannot talk seriously about hydrogen and power-to-X if we’re not credible in building natural gas infrastructure,” she said. To that end, she said a formal request for proposal will be issued for a floating storage and regasification unit in the Nador West Med port in eastern Morocco, the [...]