Hydrogen road map: - Huge need for targeted measures
The road map for hydrogen must set concrete and ambitious goals for Norway in 2030, Ocean Hyway Cluster believes.
Ocean Hyway Cluster (OHC) has submitted input from the administration and cluster members to the Norwegian Government. You can see the detailed input further down in this article.
During Spring 2021, the Norwegian government will put forward a proposal to the Parliament regarding long-term value creation from Norwegian energy resources. A part of the proposal is a new hydrogen road map - as a follow up on the national hydrogen strategy. OHC have great expectations for the road map:
- We are glad to see the political will and several large-scale hydrogen projects on its way in Norway. Now there is a huge need for targeted measures to support the entire value chain, including a Norwegian domestic market for hydrogen, full-scale production, hubs, and export opportunities, says Stein Kvalsund, CEO of Ocean Hyway Cluster.
Stein Kvalsund, CEO of Ocean Hyway Cluster. Photo: Lisa Giil.
Clear goals
OHC is the national cluster for maritime hydrogen in Norway and the submitted input therefore focuses on the maritime sector. These recommend goals for the period up to 2030 have been sent to the Norwegian Government:
45 express ferry routes powered by a hydrogen-based fuel.
8 Ro-Ro ferry connections powered by a hydrogen-based fuel.
The state provides support for a minimum of 7 hydrogen-based pilot vessels within different vessel segments. These should be realized by 2025 to qualify technology and concept solutions.
The zero-emissions regulation in the World Heritage fjords in Norway has come into force from 2026.
Zero-emission requirements are set for “Kystruten”, the coastal route from Bergen to Kirkenes.
Build hubs for hydrogen-based fuel. In the HyInfra project, OHC have outlined recommendations for possible hubs for compressed hydrogen, liquid hydrogen, and ammonia.
In addition to pure hydrogen, a road map for hydrogen should also include carbon-free carriers such as ammonia and LOHC, OHC believes. One is dependent on the national funding agencies being flexible at an early stage. To find the most suitable solution for a given vessel, the Government should set requirements for zero-emission to stimulate further investment rather than requirements on specific technologies.
Getting the market going
The public procurement power is central to getting the market going. The road map should show how the state will increase support for both investment and operation of zero-emission solutions at an early stage. In order to reduce the risk for the industry, long-term contracts should be offered between the end-user and the producer. Ideally, the contracts should have a tender period of at least 15 years.
In Norway, counties are responsible for public transport organisation and partly for the regional infrastructure. OHC believes that government subsidies to the counties should be increased to those who have decided to use zero-emission technology on public transport. It is necessary to reduce the financial burden for the counties in order to start pilot projects and commercial routes on hydrogen.
Need for support schemes
The member companies in OHC are ready to realise projects across the entire value chain for hydrogen in the maritime sector. According to OHC it is important that the road map has a focus across the entire value chain: technology, production, storage, infrastructure, logistics, and the utility of hydrogen in different sectors.
In the development phase, one is dependent on better support schemes to realise a project. Input from OHC:
Maximum price: For hydrogen to be competitive with fossil fuels by 2025, the authorities can sponsor a guaranteed maximum price for electricity to hydrogen production from electrolysis.
Certification of origin scheme: A certificate scheme for green hydrogen and hydrogen with low emissions can stimulate players to invest. The scheme will also be important for informing the population about the environmental benefits and the origin of hydrogen.
Create a CO2 fund for domestic shipping, based on the model of the NOx fund.
Beneficial fossil-free schemes: Provisions for taxes and fees, as well as other advantageous schemes for fossil fuels should be changed. They should be replaced by schemes with a clear environmental effect.
OHC are convinced that the road map for hydrogen is an important step for Norway. It is crucial that the road map is closely followed up, and that the Government is in regular dialogue with clusters and industry about the road ahead. The Ocean Hyway Cluster is available to the authorities for dialogue and information sharing.
Photo: Shutterstock.
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