February - March 2021 - n°65 UNLOCKING THE FULL POTENTIAL OF HYDROGEN IN EUROPE 1000 efficient solutions to protect the environment in a profitable way. Today, thousands of solutions exist that can boost economic growth while preserving nature, but they are often hidden in start-ups or research labs. “ They remain unknown to decision makers and are not implemented at industry level, so few people realize that everyone can use them and how profitable they have become. We need to embrace clean technologies and efficient solutions, because they are much more than ‘ecological, ’ they are ‘logical’. ” Dr. Bertrand Piccard, Initiator and Chairman of the Solar Impulse Foundation H A VOICE TO ENCOURAGE THE A LABEL TO BRIDGE THE GAP TOWARD A PORFOLIO OF IMPLEMENTATION OF SOLUTIONS BETWEEN ECONOMY AND ECOLOGY 1000 LABELLED SOLUTIONS An influential thought leader on One of the first labels for positive To address environmental chal- progress and sustainability, impact businesses bringing together lenges while enabling economic Bertrand Piccard is now working to protection of the environment and growth, Bertrand Piccard has develop collaborations with financial viability. The “Solar Impulse launched, through the Solar governments, institutions and large Efficient Solution” Label is attributed Impulse Foundation, the challenge companies to give them practical following an assessment performed of selecting #1000solutions that can tools to reconcile ecology and by external independent experts. protect the environment in a profit- economy. Therefore, he aims to Solutions applying for the label must able way. His goal is to present them prove that solving climate change – go through a neutral methodology to decision-makers to fast-track rather than an expensive problem – based on verified standards. An their implementation. is a fantastic market opportunity. award for clean and profitable solutions. BECOME A MEMBER OF THE WORLD ALLIANCE Submit your solution right now SIGNUP.SOLARIMPULSE.COM to have a chance to be listed in the #1000solutions Portfolio. NEED MORE INFORMATION? Ask about our ecosystem of [email protected] innovators, seekers and investors. EDITORIAL UNLOCKING THE FULL POTENTIAL OF HYDROGEN IN EUROPE 1000 efficient solutions ydrogen is a highly abundant com- accelerate the deployment of hydrogen-based calling on the Commission to further ponent of the universe and is cur- applications. Two other important challenges elaborate and operationalise the EU Hydrogen to protect the environment H rently enjoying unparalleled mo- are to make clean hydrogen economically Strategy while the European Parliament is mentum in Europe and around the world. viable by lowering the costs of the electrolysis expected to adopt its position in Spring. This in a profitable way. With its ambition to achieve climate neutrality process and developing hydrogen transport may lead to intense – but interesting none- by 2050, Europe needs to speed up its energy infrastructure. theless – political debates. transition and reduce by at least 55% its greenhouse gas emissions over the coming Europe is at a turning point to make the In this edition of the European Files, we Today, thousands of solutions exist that can boost economic growth while decade. hydrogen economy a reality. With the pub- explore the potential for a hydrogen-powered preserving nature, but they are often hidden in start-ups or research labs. lication of its Strategy for Hydrogen last future in Europe through the perspective of They remain unknown to decision makers and are not implemented at industry The transition towards a low-carbon summer, the EU laid out its vision to support policymakers and businesses. Their contri- “ economy is both an imperative challenge and the growth of clean hydrogen, outlined a butions analyse the existing economic and level, so few people realize that everyone can use them and how profitable a great opportunity to build a better future number of key actions, and presented three political hurdles and recommend policy they have become. We need to embrace clean technologies and efficient solutions, for our society. Clean hydrogen, whether blue strategic phases in the timeline up to 2050. incentives that will enable the upscaling of because they are much more than ‘ecological, ’ they are ‘logical’. ” or green, can indeed play a critical role in the clean hydrogen technologies and support the decarbonisation path. Hydrogen, which currently accounts for less transition towards a low-carbon economy. Dr. Bertrand Piccard, Initiator and Chairman of the Solar Impulse Foundation H than 2% of Europe’s energy mix, is expected to Hydrogen can enable economic sectors, represent around 14% by 2050. The roadmap Editorial by Laurent Ulmann & Cyrille Mai Thanh in particular power generation, industries, aims at establishing a framework that will transport, and buildings to substantially enable a functioning hydrogen market. reduce their carbon footprint. Today, hydrogen Editor-in-Chief A VOICE TO ENCOURAGE THE A LABEL TO BRIDGE THE GAP TOWARD A PORFOLIO OF production has a high environmental footprint The launch of the Clean Hydrogen Alliance LAURENT ULMANN IMPLEMENTATION OF SOLUTIONS BETWEEN ECONOMY AND ECOLOGY 1000 LABELLED SOLUTIONS because it mostly comes from fossil fuels. which gathers together major players from An influential thought leader on One of the first labels for positive To address environmental chal- According to the International Energy Agency, the whole value chain – from production progress and sustainability, impact businesses bringing together lenges while enabling economic hydrogen is responsible for around 830 to application – will facilitate the necessary Bertrand Piccard is now working to protection of the environment and growth, Bertrand Piccard has million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year. investment to help the scaling up of hydrogen develop collaborations with financial viability. The “Solar Impulse launched, through the Solar technologies across the continent. governments, institutions and large Efficient Solution” Label is attributed Impulse Foundation, the challenge The challenge is to scale up clean hydrogen produced from zero-emission electricity Regarding the legislative process, the companies to give them practical following an assessment performed of selecting #1000solutions that can such as renewable and nuclear energy, and Council adopted its conclusion in December tools to reconcile ecology and by external independent experts. protect the environment in a profit- economy. Therefore, he aims to Solutions applying for the label must able way. His goal is to present them prove that solving climate change – go through a neutral methodology to decision-makers to fast-track rather than an expensive problem – based on verified standards. An their implementation. is a fantastic market opportunity. award for clean and profitable solutions. BECOME A MEMBER OF THE WORLD ALLIANCE Submit your solution right now SIGNUP.SOLARIMPULSE.COM to have a chance to be listed in the #1000solutions Portfolio. Management: The European Files / Les Dossiers Européens - 19 rue Lincoln, 1180 Brussels www.europeanfiles.eu - ISSN 1636-6085 - email: [email protected] Publication Director and Editor-in-Chief: Laurent ULMANN NEED MORE INFORMATION? Layout & printing: Drifosett Printing - www.drifosett.com Ask about our ecosystem of [email protected] innovators, seekers and investors. Copyright: Shutterstock TABLE OF CONTENTS UNLOCKING THE FULL POTENTIAL OF HYDROGEN IN EUROPE Renewable Hydrogen: Low-carbon electrolytic hydrogen: a win-win for A Key Driver for Europe’s Energy Transition 6 climate and energy system integration 22 Kadri Simson, European Commissioner for Energy Jean-Bernard Lévy, Chairman and CEO of EDF From Ambition to Action: Enabling Europe to Become a The switch from natural gas to green hydrogen, and its Global Leader in Hydrogen Technologies 7 importance for climate change promises 24 Thierry Breton, European Commissioner for Internal Market Morten Helveg Petersen, MEP (Renew Europe – Denmark), Vice-Chair ITRE Committee The New Decarbonised Hydrogen Economy: a Growth Engine in a Post-Covid Europe 8 A Danish perspective on a clever deployment of Hydrogen 25 Bruno Le Maire, French Minister of Economy, Kristoffer Böttzauw, Director General of the Finance and Recovery Danish Energy Agency The Portuguese Hydrogen Strategy to Decarbonise its The International Dimensions of the Economy: The Project to Produce Green Hydrogen by European Hydrogen Strategy 26 Electrolysis 9 Hildegard Bentele, MEP (EPP Group), João Pedro Matos Fernandes, Portuguese Minister of Member of the ITRE Committee Environment & Climate Action Natural Gas and Hydrogen: Bridging the Regulatory Gap 27 How Renewable Hydrogen Will Help Descarbonise the Dr James Watson, Secretary General Eurogas European Economy The Case for Spain 10 Teresa Ribera, Vice-President Government of Spain and Towards greater hydrogen production capacity in Europe 28 Minister for the Ecological Transition and François-Régis Mouton de Lostalot-Lassalle, the Demographic Challenge International Association of Oil & Gas Producers, Regional Director Europe Global cooperation is essential for realising hydrogen’s Olav Aamlid Syversen, Vice President Political and Public huge potential 12 Affairs – Global Head of EU Affairs / Country Manager Belgium, Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency Equinor Energy Belgium NV Building an investment case for hydrogen 14 Why Europe Needs