Hydrogen Transport Economy for the North Sea Region

Initial situation

Oil and gas industry technologies have long dominated the transportation and energy sector and have enjoyed a kind of monopoly position on the international markets thanks to technological improvements and immense efficiency advantages. This made it difficult to develop new, alternative technology approaches and prevented the necessary public attention. This applies in particular to hydrogen technologies, which, if used in conjunction with fuel cells, could have considerable economic and environmental benefits.

HyTrEc aimed to increase access to the use of hydrogen as an alternative energy source for the North Sea region. Within the project, possible structural barriers to the development and use of hydrogen as an alternative fuel in urban and rural areas were identified and investigated.

Goals

The basic objectives of the project were to support the testing, promotion and use of innovative hydrogen technologies in the North Sea region and to strengthen regional competitiveness with regard to transportation and related energy sectors. The objectives in detail:

• Establishment of a stakeholder group on hydrogen transportation in the North Sea region
• Development of strategies and framework conditions for hydrogen transportation in the North Sea region
• Conducting a transnational pilot study to improve the availability and connection to existing regional hydrogen corridors and promote the development of a hydrogen value chain
• Testing of a demonstration model for a new type of mobile hydrogen filling station
• Implementation of an education forum to identify potential skills gaps and develop solutions for continuing education in the North Sea region
• Creating access to public and private funding instruments that support the development of hydrogen technology
• Support in the development of SME clusters to identify infrastructural hydrogen solutions