Wind Meets Gas 2018 Review

Highlights of Wind Meets Gas 2018 according to Catrinus Jepma

The 2018 symposium continues a tradition of substantive meetings based on the triple helix concept, bringing together experts from oil and gas and renewables to discuss the future of energy.

Highlights of the Wind Meets Gas Symposium 2018 – thanks in part to the massive presence of high-level energy experts from the industry – were the notions that:

• Moving quickly to green energy as a product and as a raw material is essential: those who lag behind will lose out.
  hydrogen, either blue (i.e. stored within carbon from production) or green (from renewable energy) is likely to be the most important energy carrier of the future that will enable a successful energy transition
• Fossil-free hydrogen production must therefore be ramped up quickly. The pilot phase is now over; more than 100 GW of electrolyzer capacity and significant offshore CCS of several megatons to enable blue hydrogen production will need to be launched soon.
• There is no point for the industry to wait for policy or yet another study, but it is time to launch demonstration initiatives, several of which were presented at the symposium
• Further steps require clear policy guidelines on the role of hydrogen and triple helix cooperation
• Noord-Nederland It is one of the regions within Europe with arguably the best conditions in all respects to develop into one of Europe's first hydrogen valleys. It has offshore renewable energy, gas storage facilities, energy expertise, a chemical cluster, the gas grid, and local transport needs. And, finally, the spirit of collaboration to enable a new hydrogen energy system is there.

Wind Meets Gas 2018 Review by Gerrit van Werven

The third annual Wind Meets Gas conference was held on October 18 and 19, where developments in the North Sea for both the wind industry and the oil and gas sector were discussed in context. It's clear that the two sectors can significantly benefit each other.

Firstly, there is spatial coherence and shared suppliers. Furthermore, the presence of wind farms offers the opportunity to electrify gas platforms, which leads to a reduction in CO2 emissions. Furthermore, it is possible to convert electricity from wind farms into green hydrogen, making it much more cost-effective to transport and enabling (seasonal) storage. Finally, the sustainability of Dutch industry appears to benefit greatly from hydrogen.

Several investment initiatives were presented/discussed during the conference, including:

• The construction of electrolysis plants by Nouryon in IJmuiden and Eemshaven;
• The construction of electrolysis plants by Engie and Gasunie in Noord-Nederland;
• The use of the Magnum power plant in Eemshaven for the production of so-called blue hydrogen in combination with CCS at sea;
• The purchase of 32 hydrogen buses in the Groningen and Emmen regions.

An important conclusion of the conference: green energy from wind farms.

Benelux invests in sustainable hydrogen technologies

With a large coastline, major offshore wind developments, and a strong industrial base, the Benelux region aims to become a leading living laboratory for scaling up and testing innovative solutions for the production and use of sustainable hydrogen.

This was the main message of the symposium "North Sea Wind meets Gas – A Benelux Hydrogen Perspective," held in Groningen on October 18 and 19. The public and private partners committed to promoting cross-border collaboration in the deployment of hydrogen technologies in several sectors, including transport, the chemical industry, and residential heating.

Walloon Minister of Energy Jean-Luck Crucke: “Hydrogen and, more generally, Power-to-X technologies are of paramount importance for Wallonia within the framework of its energy and climate policy. This importance was reiterated in the Energy Pact approved by the Walloon Government in December 2017. Power-to-X is also a key element of the Walloon Energy and Climate Plan 2030 and has been selected as a priority technology in the Walloon Investment Plan. Power-to-X opens the door to a large number of applications that we wish to explore, including heavy-duty transport, which currently seems most suitable for our region. We are currently working on a roadmap for this technology, which should be presented in the first quarter of 2019.

The Benelux countries face common challenges in the areas of energy transition and climate change. They are densely populated, largely located below sea level, and simultaneously boast a large industrial base combined with an economy focused on intensive transport and logistics. As they strive to phase out fossil fuels and are aware that they are reaching the limits of their electricity transmission capacity, hydrogen could potentially be one solution for supplying economies with clean and sustainable energy. However, to succeed, existing and future (local) projects must be scaled up to reduce costs. With their advanced gas infrastructure, the Benelux countries could be the ideal location to develop the future of green hydrogen and network projects and facilitate the regulatory transition."

Hundreds of representatives from politics, industry, and academia from the Benelux, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Northern France exchanged ideas and plans regarding current developments in offshore wind energy in the North Sea and current initiatives and investments in hydrogen. Financial and legal obstacles were also discussed, with stakeholders reaffirming the need to increase synergies between the Benelux regions.

With its strategic location, high level of expertise, and industrial production, the Benelux can position itself as an important center for hydrogen research and development and for large-scale demonstrations of hydrogen applications.

This event was co-organized by the Benelux General Secretariat and the Province of Groningen, in collaboration with the Benelux Parliament.