Following evaluation by an international panel of independent experts, H2BE was recognized as a high-quality project proposal in a highly competitive evaluation process which contributes to the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP) objectives.

For further information, please visit https://strategic-technologies.europa.eu.

Collaboration between industries, governments and organizations is critical to succeed in developing new value chains and accelerate decarbonization on scale, in a cost-efficient manner. The Norwegian energy company Equinor, the Belgian energy infrastructure operator Fluxys and the German energy company Wintershall Dea, together with a dedicated group of affiliated companies in 10 countries are cooperating to establish a major cross-border CO2 infrastructure network called the EU2NSEA project.

The list of projects under the EU2NSEA umbrella contains prioritized infrastructure projects of particular interest and strategic importance for the EU’s energy policies and decarbonization ambitions. Associated projects include 16 emitters, 31 industrial sites and 2 storage sites, planning for CO₂ emission reductions of 34 Mtpa in total.  H2BE will use this CO2 infrastructure to transport the captured CO2 to safe storage in under the seabed of the Norwegian North Sea.

The European Commission’s priority status gives visibility for projects at the EU level, access to EU policy processes and the opportunity to apply for grants through the Connecting European Facilities (CEF) energy scheme.

PCI/PMI facts:

• EU2NSEA PCI status was given November 28^th, 2023
• 1^st PCI / PMI list : new list of EU energy Projects of Common and Mutual Interest (europa.eu).
• Deadline for renewal is December 18^{th, 2024}

Read more on www.eu2nsea.com.

H2BE represents a significant leap forward in our efforts to combat climate change. With this support from the Innovation Fund, the European Union recognizes the importance of H2BE in providing low-carbon hydrogen to industry and projects which are part of this innovative “first of a kind” ecosystem. This recognition will be instrumental in accelerating the development and deployment of H2BE that will scale up the production capabilities for low-carbon hydrogen in Belgium, as well as the infrastructure development for both low-carbon and renewable hydrogen. It also represents an important step forward for taking on the remaining challenges such as ensuring suitable policies from the European Commission and Member States on the low-carbon economy to allow a sustainable way to decarbonize our industries.

“Receiving this grant invitation is a huge stamp of approval from the EU for H2BE and for low-carbon hydrogen as a key decarbonization tool for Flanders, Belgium, and Europe. This funding is a testament to our commitment to innovation and sustainability. We are excited to collaborate with Equinor to bring this visionary project to life.”
Mathieu Ablard, Project Director of ENGIE

“We are very grateful for the EU IF’s recognition of the crucial role that low-carbon hydrogen will play in taking us to a net-zero future. We see this as an important step from the EU towards implementing policies and regulations that will enable our customers to commit to this value chain development. We greatly value our partnership with ENGIE in developing this project, where the complementary nature of our two companies and cultures enables us to achieve more by working together.”
Helene Røsand, Project Director of Equinor

For more information regarding the Innovation Fund, please visit  Innovation Fund projects – European Commission. 

Norway and Belgium share strong and longstanding trade relations, with energy playing an important role. ENGIE and Equinor were important participants of the mission. The two partners of the H2BE project had the chance to present their longstanding relationship and to elaborate on the development of H2BE that, once in operation, will produce 200 000 tonnes of low carbon hydrogen per year at the ENGIE Rodenhuize site in North Sea Port (Ghent). This low carbon hydrogen, as well as other carbon capture (and usage) projects (CCUS), will allow the decarbonization of hard to abate industrials, who are key to the Belgian economy and will help Belgium achieve its greenhouse gas reduction targets.

 During the mission Equinor and ENGIE hosted a roundtable dinner with participants from industry, ports and infrastructure and policy representatives of Flanders, Wallonia and the Belgian Federal level. The ‘Oslo Declaration’ on Carbon Capture Use and Storage (CCUS) was signed by both H2BE partners and the other Belgian industrial players. The declaration, which was handed over to Belgian policymakers, calls for the necessary support to develop the low carbon value chains. CCUS solutions are an important lever to reach net zero carbon. It is important for Belgium to extend its current energy hub role for natural gas and power towards hydrogen and CO₂. Realizing a large project at scale like H2BE will contribute to this and kickstart the hydrogen and CO2 value chains in Belgium.

 The mission was concluded with a visit at the ‘Northern Lights’ site, Norway’s first commercial storage for CO₂ on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. Equinor is one of the major investors of Northern Lights. The project has developed the world’s first open-source CO₂ transport and storage infrastructure. When finalized later this fall, it will provide a safe and permanent storage option for CO2 that is removed from industrial processes.

A complete update on H2BE was presented to all participants who were eager to discover the project’s next steps. In addition, key stakeholders and industrial players testified about their carbon neutrality roadmaps and the importance of the development of solutions at scale, like H2BE, that are able to kickstart the H2 and CO2 value chains. At the end of the day, we organized an insightful panel discussion among industry leaders to identify common challenges and necessary steps forward. 

 The event was concluded at the historical Town Hall of the city of Brussels in the presence of the Mayor of Brussels and the Ambassador of Norway to Belgium.