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The European Commission has selected the winners of European Hydrogen Bank’s first auction, with bids coming in below €0.50 ($0.54)/kg, while Chile and Namibia have revealed new hydrogen plans.
The European Commission has awarded €720 million to seven renewable hydrogen projects in Europe, selected through the first competitive bidding process under the European Hydrogen Bank. The seven projects were the winners of an oversubscribed auction that attracted 132 bids in total. Together, the winning bidders plan to produce 1.58 million metric tons of renewable hydrogen over 10 years, said the European Commission. The selected projects are located in Finland, Norway, Spain and Portugal. The companies submitted bids between €0.37 and €0.48 per kilogram of renewable hydrogen produced. The companies will need to sign the grant agreements by November 2024 and the selected projects have to start producing renewable hydrogen within five years. They will receive the awarded fixed premium subsidies for up to 10 years for certified and verified renewable hydrogen production. The projects will receive subsidies ranging from €8 million to €245 million.
Chile has presented its Hydrogen Action Plan. The document includes 81 measures to be implemented in two stages. The first, between 2023 and 2026, will define environmental and social standards. From 2026 to 2030, the second stage will include measures to industrialize the national economy through a productive and labor reconversion in different regions. “With this Action Plan, Chile has great opportunities to make a leap towards a more diverse, productive, and innovative economy,” said former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet.
Cleanergy Solutions Namibia, a joint venture between Belgiums CMB.Tech and Ohlthaver & List (O&L), said they will put Namibias first hydrogen refueling station into operation in the fourth quarter of 2024. “With this Cleanergy Green Hydrogen Site, we are channeling over a centurys worth of innovation to ignite a revolution in renewable energy,” said O&L Chairman Sven Thieme. Cleanergy Solutions Namibia will team up with CMB.Tech, the Port of Antwerp Bruges and Namport to launch the first hydrogen-powered ship on the African continent. CMB.Tech said that the hydrogen production plant is the first phase of a five-year plan, along with several projects in Namibia, including ammonia bunkering, pipelines, and large-scale hydrogen and ammonia production.
BASF said a hydrogen leak occurred at its plant in Ludwigshafen, Germany. The company said it shut down the facility and burned off the excess gases. There were no injuries reported. The cause of the incident is still under investigation. |
