The North Sea Hydrogen Ports and Maritime Community (NS HyMaP) will hold a major one day conference about The Import and Export of Hydrogen in the North Sea Region in Edinburgh on Wednesday 17 May 2023. This will address the importance of the import and export of hydrogen in the North Sea Region and its positive effects on the creation of a European Hydrogen Market. 

Speakers from across Europe, national and regional governments, ports, and the hydrogen and transport sectors will discuss key issues and provide insights into a rapid way forward. Contracts for Difference and auctions are also being discussed and Edinburgh has been chosen to host the Conference due to Scotland’s excellent hydrogen export potential.

Major ports in Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands are making plans to import hydrogen and its derivatives while companies and governments are striking Memoranda of Understanding to stimulate research and innovation and the development of import/export agreements. The key role of hydrogen imports features strongly in EU hydrogen Strategy and RePower EU. 

Hydrogen production and imports are central to the Hydrogen Strategies of Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands and these strategies state that the import of hydrogen will be needed by the mid to late 2020s. Other parts of the North Sea Region will be exporters of green hydrogen and these countries include the United Kingdom, Denmark, and Norway.

Scotland is well placed to export hydrogen and an export strategy plays a major role in the Scottish Government’s Hydrogen Action Plan published in December 2022.  The Action Plan states “It is our ambition for Scotland to become a net exporter of hydrogen and hydrogen derivatives, supplying UK and EU markets by the mid-2020’s.”  The Scottish Government will publish a Hydrogen Sector Export Plan (HSEP) during this year.  

The North Sea Region is already a major producer of hydrogen and there are plans to increase production and receive imports.  The European Commission has plans for the North Sea to become a major import corridor and the International Energy Agency has said the Region “leads the development of low-emission hydrogen as a new energy carrier. This region accounts for around half of Europe’s total hydrogen demand and has a vast and untapped renewable energy potential in the North Sea.”

NS HyMaP has invited senior colleagues from the EU, European Commission, national and regional governments, ports, and the hydrogen and transport sectors to discuss these important issues and to provide insights into a rapid way forward.

Full agenda and registration: https://www.europeanpolicysolutions.com/seminars/towards-a-european-hydrogen-market/