Hydrogen Valleys

Mitsubishi Power and Magnum Development announced the launch of the Advanced Clean Energy Storage project in central Utah. In the world’s largest project of its kind, it will initially develop 1,000 MW/100,000 MWh of 100 percent green hydrogen storage.

The Basque Hydrogen Corridor (BH2C) is a large-scale strategic project to promote the transition to a decarbonized economy in the Basque Country through the development of a set of coordinated initiatives deployed throughout the entire hydrogen value chain.

Petronor was founded in 1968 as an energy plant to turn crude oil into usable energy products for society. In 2019, and after a huge transformation since the founding date, it assumed the commitment of its reference shareholder, Repsol, to be a CO2 neutral company by 2050. Within this framework, Petronor has established a roadmap based on energy efficiency, hydrogen and circular economy that leads on to a reduction of emissions of 25% in 2025. With a capacity of 200.000 bbl/day (12 million tons/year), its strategic vision for 2035 is to decarbonise its processes and products. To do that, Petronor will include new decarbonised and recycled feedstock, will exchange its energy consumptions to renewable energy and will include new processing plants to produce carbon-free products.

As a public-private partnership initiative, the Spanish and Basque governments and other local authorities strongly support the project and participate directly in it, for example, through the Basque Energy Agency (EVE).

On the private side, 25 companies and 13 research centres, academic institutions and business associations are part of the consortium (to be formally set up). Furthermore, a cluster of 75 companies from the energy sector has been established, bringing together companies from the entire value chain to identify challenges and opportunities and generate initiatives.

The objective of the project is to develop and promote a sustainable hydrogen ecosystem and boost economic activity along its value chain through the execution of the different initiatives within it.

The project is expected to be key in the economic reactivation of the region. Investments of up to € 2.8 billion are envisaged until 2030, with active involvement of local SMEs.

More specifically, the aim of the project is to have an important influence on the transformation of the technological and industrial sectors in the Basque Country, making it a benchmark in the electrolyser manufacturing industry and in technology related to the use of hydrogen in all sectors.

At the same time, the development of a hydrogen economy represents a decarbonisation opportunity for hard-to-abate sectors such as industry, heavy-duty transport or residential heating. The project is expected to avoid the emission of 1.5 million tons/year of greenhouse gases.

The 38 initiatives that make up the project have a strong digitalisation component and are expected to lead to the creation of high quality employment in the region (an estimated 1,340 direct jobs and 6,700 indirect jobs).




The initiatives span the entire hydrogen value chain and at each stage there are projects both from the technology developer´s side and the technology user´s side, each pushing the other to progress.

The project is broken down in 6 chapters:

RENEWABLE H2 PRODUCTION AND E-FUELS
From a position of technological neutrality, various initiatives are developed for the production of competitive renewable hydrogen and alternative fuels.

1.1 Green hydrogen production from renewable power by electrolysis (112 MW).
1.2 Production of green hydrogen from waste (recovery of 126,000 ton/year of waste)
1.3 E-fuel production from green hydrogen and captured CO2. (8000 l/día)

MOBILITY & LOGISTICS
The logistics system associated with the distribution of H2 will be developed for its delivery in a public HRS network (700/350 bar). Local public bus and coach fleets and other stakeholders to include H2 vehicles.

2.1 H2 mobility logistics:
a- truck tanker loading bays and HRS network.
b- H2 vehicles for Biscay province bus and coach fleet.
c- H2 vehicles for Gipuzkoa province bus and coach fleet.
d- H2 vehicles for Araba province bus and coach fleet.
e- trucks for coke transportation.

2.2 HRS Laboratory to optimize charging cycles and to standardize filling station design
2.3 Cold-ironing using fuel cell at Bilbao Port (Hidrovan project).
2.4 Use of H2 at Bilbao airport.

INDUSTRY DECARBONIZATION AND URBAN RESIDENTIAL USE
A Strategic Plan will be drawn up to guide the transition to a decarbonized gas system in the Basque Country by 2050. Part of the hydrogen produced will replace 25% of the H2 used in the petrochemical industry.

3.1 Decarbonisation of refining and other industrial processes.
3.2 Strategic decarbonisation plan for the Basque gas system 2050
3.3 Metal Sintering using renovable hydrogen from an innovative site hydrogen production with associated 100% renewable energy - (H2TERING).


INFRAESTRUCTURES
The process will begin with the use of existing gas infrastructure for blending along with specific H2 dedicated pipelines. More H2, O2 and CO2 dedicated infrastructures will be constructed onwards.

4.1 H2 injection in natural gas distribution networks.
4.2 Pure H2 distribution infrastructure.

TECHNOLOGICAL AND INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT
Technological development within the project is key. A technological roadmap has been set up to address some of the existing challenges and drive technology transfer to companies, in order to gain position in the hydrogen economy.

Hydrogen production:
5.1 Electrolyser factory project.
5.2 SOEC electrolyser development and scale up.
5.3 On site H2 production system development.
5.4 Methanol autothermal reforming (ATR) for marine use.

Hydrogen logistic:
5.5 HRS manufacturing plant and virtual green H2 pipeline.
5.6 Design, development and testing of compressed H2 transport and supply equipment for heavy vehicles.

Electricity production:
5.7 Fuel cell development project for light-duty vehicle.
5.8 Fuel cell use in CHP installation for residential application. PEMFC demonstration project in stationary micro-cogeneration applications and supply systems

Mobility:
5.9 Hydrogen coach development-long distances
5.10 Hydrogen/Electricity fed dual commuter train development.
5.11 Inland waterways vessel (H2Ocean)
5.12 Hydrogen bus tech development urban fleet.
5.13 Hydrogen/Battery dual commuter train development (CAF).

Equipment development:
5.14 Hydrogen for electric arc furnace.
5.15 Progressive replacement of natural gas in industrial furnaces.
5.16 Valves for H2 and renewable gases.
5.17 Compressed H2 and liquid H2 tank development for mobility use - (FADHOR).


DRIVING FORCE INITIATIVES
6.1 Hydrogen Technology Business Park. A hydrogen living lab that brings together specific infrastructure for companies, research centres, entrepreneurs, training and academia.
6.2 H2 industrial cluster - Basque Energy Companies Association.
Groups together companies from the entire value chain to identify challenges and opportunities.
6.3 Research and Technology network. Pools expertise and capacities to face the technological and industrial challenges ahead.
6.4 Hydrogen Training and Reskilling Programs. A university-level and vocational training scheme is key for the challenges to be faced in the next few years
6.5 Funding program to promote SME hydrogen projects

Basque Hydrogen Corridor’s initiatives interact with other value chains, such as capture, use and storage of CO2, digitalisation, circular economy, automotive, railroad, maritime, electrolysers manufacturing, high pressure and cryogenic equipment, engineering services, systems integration, construction and maintenance, bus and coach operators, etc.

BIG HIT is a six-year demonstration project which aims to create an integrated low carbon and localised energy system establishing a replicable model of hydrogen production, storage, distribution and utilisation for low carbon heat, power and transport.

V4 countries project incl. Slovakia, Czech republic, Poland and Hungary; HDV vehicle deployment - 10,000 units, H2 production - 40 electrolyzers, 270 H2 refueling stations on TEN-T corridors. Key point of this project is decarbonising transport in V4.

Renewable project combining solar PV plant with large storage capacity based on hydrogen to produce stable and dispatchable power to the grid of French Guiana.

Large-scale hydrogen production from Neoen hybrid renewables project.

The project eFarm is the biggest green hydrogen mobility project in Germany to date. The project is realised by GP JOULE and addresses the complete value chain of green hydrogen on the mobility path from production over logistics to distribution via HRS.

The Province of Zuid-Holland houses the largest petrochemical cluster in the Netherlands and the largest port of Europe in Rotterdam. Zuid-Holland is unique due to its large scale development of supply and demand of hydrogen, notably for industry and mobility, but in the longer term also in the built environment. The region houses the potential for an entire value chain: research and innovation, import, production, infrastructure, storage, shipping and application.

The Eyre Peninsula Gateway is an industrial-scale green hydrogen and ammonia production complex, being established by H2U as a staged development. The initial demonstrator stage will feature a 75 MW electrolysis plant and 120 tpd green ammonia plant.

Based on The Fukushima Plan for a New Energy Society, Fukushima Hydrogen Energy Research Field (FH2R), which has the world-largest electrolyser with 10 MW capacity, powered by solar PV with 20 MW capacity started producing hydrogen in Namie Town, Fukushima Prefecture. Annual hydrogen production capacity amounts to about 200 tons per year.
This is a demonstration project to lower the cost of hydrogen production based on solar PV as well as ensure reliability and flexibility of the large-scale hydrogen production system.
Through the expansion of the use of hydrogen and the promotion of demonstrations in various fields such as mobility and industry using hydrogen from FH2R and other sources, the model of hydrogen-based society will be developed in Fukushima Prefecture.

The Ports of Flanders hydrogen valley is a cross-sectoral collaboration between the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, North Sea Port, Port Oostende, several industrial players located in the area and the national gas TSO. Here, international import is combined with local production of green and blue hydrogen, facilitating the decarbonisation of several industrial offtakers, both locally as well as in the hinterland of Belgium and beyond through its connection with the European Hydrogen Backbone.

Relying on the existing automobile industry foundation in Nanhai District, Xianhu Hydrogen Valley focuses on technological innovation, promotion and application, and develops new energy vehicles, especially related projects of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.

The Green Crane initiative aims to pave the way for South to North green hydrogen flows in Europe and boosting local demand in Spain and Italy. Cross-border routes aim to connect with The Netherlands and France.

ACME will be developing a large integrated green field facility in Oman for production of Green Ammonia. The facility will have Renewable Energy being generated from Solar and Wind which will be used to produce green hydrogen which will further be consumed to produce green ammonia with a production capacity of 2200 Tonnes / Day. This facility will be one of the largest green hydrogen / green ammonia facilities in the world.
ACME intends to supply this green ammonia for direct usage or cracked back to green hydrogen for chemical, fertilizers, steel, power, mobility & any other end use application.

The project targets the large-scale production of green hydrogen in Southeastern Europe and its subsequent transport via LOHC and ships to industrial offtakers along the Danube river.

Green Hysland aims to create a replicable Hydrogen Territory in the Balearic Islands by converting solar energy generated in Mallorca into green H2 which will be used in multiple applications: mobility, heat and power and injection into the gas grid.

The "H2iseO Hydrogen Valley for sustainable mobility" is an iconic project, jointly implemented by FNM and Trenord, aiming at decarbonising public transport services and at supporting the transition towards a more sustainable transport system. It aims to create an Italian industrial hydrogen-based value chain for a sustainable mobility system in the UNESCO world heritage site of Valcamonica (in Lombardia Region, Italy, a mountainous and lake area with a population of 120k inhabitants in the valley and of around 200k in the capital city), along the non-electrified railway line Brescia – Edolo, a gateway for the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympic Games.
The full decarbonisation of the Brescia – Edolo railway line, with conversion to hydrogen-powered trains, as well as the introduction of hydrogen-powered buses enables the implementation in the area of infrastructure for hydrogen production and distribution, to support the local economic and industrial sector in pursuing the EU targets for energy transition. Trains and buses support hydrogen demand as first off-takers in the project.
The H2iseO project includes the introduction, in Valcamonica, of:
• hydrogen-powered fleets of:
o 14 trains (replacing all diesel-powered trains now operated on the Brescia – Edolo line);
o 40 buses (replacing all diesel-powered buses now operated by FNM in Valcamonica).
• hydrogen production plants, including distribution and refuelling stations, needed to supply new hydrogen-powered fleets and in details:
o hydrogen production, storage, and refuelling plant in Iseo, with renewable Steam Methane Reforming (RSMR) technology starting from biomethane, with a production capacity of about 1,400 KgH2/day and carbon dioxide capture and liquefaction technology, to perform a carbon negative solution;
o further hydrogen production, storage, and distribution plants from electrolysis of about 1,400 KgH2/day in Brescia and Edolo;
• modernisation and revamping of infrastructure and assets of the Trenord railway depot (facility, maintenance equipment, tracks re-alignment) to accommodate the new hydrogen-powered trains.
The H2iseO project starts from hydrogen demand (boosting demand as off-taker) and integrates hydrogen distribution and hydrogen production with a vertically integrated value chain; hydrogen in excess than those required for the project will be made available to other off-takers (including mobility services operators), within an horizontally-integrated value chain.
The project is now ongoing:
• In November 2020 the Board of Directors of FNM S.p.A. approved an investment for the supply of 6 hydrogen-powered trains produced by Alstom, with the option to supply another 8 trains of the same type; first commercial services operated by the new hydrogen-powered trains are scheduled early 2024 and the full decarbonisation of rail and bus services by 2025;
• FNM partnered with major energy companies to develop the hydrogen production plants planned within the H2iseO project; in particular, in early 2021 FNM with A2A and SNAM successfully submitted and application within the Innovation Fund Small Scale (IFSS) European programme, securing EU-funded grants for a facility aimed to produce 830 tons per year of green hydrogen from a waste-to-energy plant intended for the mobile, industry and logistics sectors.
To expand the geographical scope of the H2iseO project, creating further synergies an optimisation in hydrogen production and distribution, FNM is assessing the possible introduction of hydrogen refuelling stations (HRS) along the motorway network for trucks, buses, and cars, connecting the project in the framework of the TEN-T network up to 2030.

The "H2iseO Hydrogen Valley for sustainable mobility" is an iconic project, jointly implemented by FNM and Trenord, aiming at decarbonising public transport services and at supporting the transition towards a more sustainable transport system. It aims to create an Italian industrial hydrogen-based value chain for a sustainable mobility system in the UNESCO world heritage site of Valcamonica (in Lombardia Region, Italy, a mountainous and lake area with a population of 120k inhabitants in the valley and of around 200k in the capital city), along the non-electrified railway line Brescia – Edolo, a gateway for the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympic Games.
The full decarbonisation of the Brescia – Edolo railway line, with conversion to hydrogen-powered trains, as well as the introduction of hydrogen-powered buses enables the implementation in the area of infrastructure for hydrogen production and distribution, to support the local economic and industrial sector in pursuing the EU targets for energy transition. Trains and buses support hydrogen demand as first off-takers in the project.
The H2iseO project includes the introduction, in Valcamonica, of:
• hydrogen-powered fleets of:
o 14 trains (replacing all diesel-powered trains now operated on the Brescia – Edolo line);
o 40 buses (replacing all diesel-powered buses now operated by FNM in Valcamonica).
• hydrogen production plants, including distribution and refuelling stations, needed to supply new hydrogen-powered fleets and in details:
o hydrogen production, storage, and refuelling plant in Iseo, with renewable Steam Methane Reforming (RSMR) technology starting from biomethane, with a production capacity of about 1,400 KgH2/day and carbon dioxide capture and liquefaction technology, to perform a carbon negative solution;
o further hydrogen production, storage, and distribution plants from electrolysis of about 1,400 KgH2/day in Brescia and Edolo;
• modernisation and revamping of infrastructure and assets of the Trenord railway depot (facility, maintenance equipment, tracks re-alignment) to accommodate the new hydrogen-powered trains.
The H2iseO project starts from hydrogen demand (boosting demand as off-taker) and integrates hydrogen distribution and hydrogen production with a vertically integrated value chain; hydrogen in excess than those required for the project will be made available to other off-takers (including mobility services operators), within an horizontally-integrated value chain.
The project is now ongoing:
• In November 2020 the Board of Directors of FNM S.p.A. approved an investment for the supply of 6 hydrogen-powered trains produced by Alstom, with the option to supply another 8 trains of the same type; first commercial services operated by the new hydrogen-powered trains are scheduled early 2024 and the full decarbonisation of rail and bus services by 2025;
• FNM partnered with major energy companies to develop the hydrogen production plants planned within the H2iseO project; in particular, in early 2021 FNM with A2A and SNAM successfully submitted and application within the Innovation Fund Small Scale (IFSS) European programme, securing EU-funded grants for a facility aimed to produce 830 tons per year of green hydrogen from a waste-to-energy plant intended for the mobile, industry and logistics sectors.
To expand the geographical scope of the H2iseO project, creating further synergies an optimisation in hydrogen production and distribution, FNM is assessing the possible introduction of hydrogen refuelling stations (HRS) along the motorway network for trucks, buses, and cars, connecting the project in the framework of the TEN-T network up to 2030.
The "H2iseO Hydrogen Valley for sustainable mobility" is an iconic project, jointly implemented by FNM and Trenord, aiming at decarbonising public transport services and at supporting the transition towards a more sustainable transport system. It aims to create an Italian industrial hydrogen-based value chain for a sustainable mobility system in the UNESCO world heritage site of Valcamonica (in Lombardia Region, Italy, a mountainous and lake area with a population of 120k inhabitants in the valley and of around 200k in the capital city), along the non-electrified railway line Brescia – Edolo, a gateway for the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympic Games.
The full decarbonisation of the Brescia – Edolo railway line, with conversion to hydrogen-powered trains, as well as the introduction of hydrogen-powered buses enables the implementation in the area of infrastructure for hydrogen production and distribution, to support the local economic and industrial sector in pursuing the EU targets for energy transition. Trains and buses support hydrogen demand as first off-takers in the project.
The H2iseO project includes the introduction, in Valcamonica, of:
• hydrogen-powered fleets of:
o 14 trains (replacing all diesel-powered trains now operated on the Brescia – Edolo line);
o 40 buses (replacing all diesel-powered buses now operated by FNM in Valcamonica).
• hydrogen production plants, including distribution and refuelling stations, needed to supply new hydrogen-powered fleets and in details:
o hydrogen production, storage, and refuelling plant in Iseo, with renewable Steam Methane Reforming (RSMR) technology starting from biomethane, with a production capacity of about 1,400 KgH2/day and carbon dioxide capture and liquefaction technology, to perform a carbon negative solution;
o further hydrogen production, storage, and distribution plants from electrolysis of about 1,400 KgH2/day in Brescia and Edolo;
• modernisation and revamping of infrastructure and assets of the Trenord railway depot (facility, maintenance equipment, tracks re-alignment) to accommodate the new hydrogen-powered trains.
The H2iseO project starts from hydrogen demand (boosting demand as off-taker) and integrates hydrogen distribution and hydrogen production with a vertically integrated value chain; hydrogen in excess than those required for the project will be made available to other off-takers (including mobility services operators), within an horizontally-integrated value chain.
The project is now ongoing:
• In November 2020 the Board of Directors of FNM S.p.A. approved an investment for the supply of 6 hydrogen-powered trains produced by Alstom, with the option to supply another 8 trains of the same type; first commercial services operated by the new hydrogen-powered trains are scheduled early 2024 and the full decarbonisation of rail and bus services by 2025;
• FNM partnered with major energy companies to develop the hydrogen production plants planned within the H2iseO project; in particular, in early 2021 FNM with A2A and SNAM successfully submitted and application within the Innovation Fund Small Scale (IFSS) European programme, securing EU-funded grants for a facility aimed to produce 830 tons per year of green hydrogen from a waste-to-energy plant intended for the mobile, industry and logistics sectors.
To expand the geographical scope of the H2iseO project, creating further synergies an optimisation in hydrogen production and distribution, FNM is assessing the possible introduction of hydrogen refuelling stations (HRS) along the motorway network for trucks, buses, and cars, connecting the project in the framework of the TEN-T network up to 2030.

Establishment of hydrogen generation and distribution with a focus on mobility applications. Sub-projects form the cornerstone for the transformation of the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region towards CO2 neutrality.

HEAVENN is a large-scale demo project addressing the requirements of the call, by bringing together core elements: production, distribution, storage and local end-use of hydrogen into a fully-integrated and functioning Hydrogen Valley.

CORFO is preparing an international call to develop a mega facility in public land for the construction of a large scale project to produce hydrogen with dedicated solar energy power plant to accelerate the Hydrogen Economy in Chile.

HyBalance demonstrates the use of hydrogen in energy systems. The hydrogen is produced from water electrolysis, enabling the storage of renewable electricity from wind turbines. It balances the grid, and the hydrogen is used for transport and in industry.

Compilation of three admin. districts (LA-EBE-M), transport companies, energy providers, industry, trade and crafts. Implementation of closed hydrogen cycle generating, distributing and using emission-free "green hydrogen".

The Hydrogen Delta represents a Dutch-Belgium crossboarder industrial cluster focused on the implementation of large-scale green (and blue) hydrogen as a feedstock material in the chemical, refinery and steelmaking industry, as well as large scale import of green hydrogen for further distribution.

The Hydrogen Valley South Tyrol aims to decarbonise the mobility sector and to connect the region with the main Italian and European economic areas along the Brenner Corridor.

HyNet North West is an integrated low carbon hydrogen production, distribution and carbon capture, utilisation and storage project (CCUS).

Hydrogen model region in the Northwest of Germany that focuses on the transport and industrial sectors.

The Norddeutsche Reallabor is a project that intends to test the overall transformation of the energy system in order to demonstrate a rapid decarbonisation of all energy consumption sectors in Northern Germany.

Normandy hydrogen aims to strengthen the role of hydrogen within the energy transition in Normandy with priorities in mobility, logistics, industry and the production of renewable hydrogen while developing a fully fledged industrial sector.

Phi Suea House Project is the world's first solar-hydrogen multi-house residential project.

This project provides a large-scale “shore-to-store” plan and a hydrogen fuel-cell-electric technology framework for freight facilities to structure operations for future goods movement.

The BFC (Bourgogne-Franche-Comté) region has decided to make a commitment by funding projects that meet these priorities. Its financial commitment is 90 m EUR for the next 10 years.

The characteristic industry of the town is positioned as the hydrogen energy industry, and the hydrogen energy industry ecosystem is built around the key areas of the hydrogen energy industry.

The Green Hydrogen project is a public-private project initiative that aims to secure Green Hydrogen production, transportation, distribution, demand, focused on leveraging Portugal’s renewable energy as a factor of competitiveness with an export component. It is a project entirely aligned with the strategic vision of the European Commission’s Green Deal, it will strongly contribute to Netherland’s and Europe’s substantial emerging green hydrogen demand as well as jumpstart a Portuguese Hydrogen Economy by creating the necessary infrastructures and critical mass. Furthermore, it will allow an existing energy hub, the port of Sines, to be an example of how the challenge of decarbonization is an opportunity for innovation, investment and growth.
Portugal, with its competitive solar and wind LCOE, is a natural producer of green hydrogen, aims to play a leading role in the hydrogen economy that is taking shape, and is fully committed to the development of a solid European and international hydrogen market.
The natural fit between the strong demand at the Dutch market level, the competitiveness of the solar generation in Portugal, and both countries strong commitment to 2030 goals is expected to allow for a fast time to market, and scale efficiencies that will not only benefit the involved countries but the EU has a whole. The project is led by both governments, Portugal and the Netherlands, and involves a consortium that brings together large companies and SME’s across the entire green hydrogen supply chain.
Furthermore, this initiative leverages on the existing deep seaport infrastructure at Sines and its strategic potential as an export hub of the Iberian peninsula and north Africa, connected by maritime route to the Port of Rotterdam, the gateway to Europe’s mega chemical cluster. It also aims to include the industrial manufacturing scale up of PEM electrolysis technology in Sines, as well as the implementation of Liquid Hydrogen (LH2) and Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carries (LOHC) infrastructures to position Sines as the key South Western European Hydrogen Hub.

The energy model region WIVA P&G pursues demonstrating the conversion of the Austrian economy to a largely CO2-neutral structure with the production and use of renewable hydrogen as an important component.
The projects must be capable of being demonstrated in order to convince future users and strengthen the Austrian economy. WIVA P&G now supports and accompanies eight cross-sector projects with a total investment of around 79 million Euros. Further information can be obtained on our website www.wiva.at.

The project’s location in south-central Wyoming brings together all the necessary resources and infrastructure for the production and transport of clean hydrogen. These include but are not limited to water, renewable energy, power transmission, geologic storage, rail facilities, highway infrastructure and large interstate natural gas pipelines.

This project aims to deploy 20 hydrogen stations and 1,200 vehicles in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region before the end of 2024.

Zhangjiakou is China's first and only national-level renewable energy demonstration zone approved and established by the State Council.