International

The Australian research organization CSIRO has successfully demonstrated a beam-down solar reactor for the production of green hydrogen for the first time. The technology uses concentrated solar energy and metallic oxide particles for thermochemical water splitting.

“Hydrogen future funding is at stake,” warns the research network Hydrogen Europe Research. The reason is the upcoming draft of the European Commission’s financial framework for the years 2028 to 2034, which will also determine the future of research funding. Although no official decisions have been made yet, the ongoing political debate suggests that budget cuts are likely. HZwei explains the significance of the discussion and spoke with Luigi Crema, President of Hydrogen Europe Research.

In July 2025, the European Commission is expected to present a legislative proposal for the 10th Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (FP10). In light of this, leading representatives from hydrogen-related research institutions and industry associations have jointly voiced their position. HZwei spoke with Luigi Crema, President of Hydrogen Europe Research, about the importance of FP10 for the hydrogen sector.

Two companies of the Sany Group are planning to jointly design and construct electrolysis plants in Europe and Africa. Each brings complementary expertise to the table.

Thyssenkrupp Nucera has been awarded a contract to carry out a front-end engineering and design (FEED) study for a hydrogen project in Europe. According to the company, the planned water electrolysis plant will have a capacity of approximately 600 MW.

At the beginning of May, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron appeared so united in their positions that French media dubbed them "Merzcron." Industry associations from the energy sector believe this renewed Franco-German alignment should be leveraged.

The Austrian mobility technology company AVL and the Japanese ceramics specialist Niterra have entered into a strategic partnership to develop solid oxide electrolyzers (SOECs). Their goal is to industrialize the technology.

The transmission system operators Gascade Gastransport from Germany and National Gas from the United Kingdom have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the construction of an offshore hydrogen pipeline between the two countries. The planned hydrogen corridor will run through the North Sea and aims to contribute to energy supply security and decarbonisation in Europe.

Intercontinental Energy, a global developer of large-scale green hydrogen projects, has unveiled a patented system called P2(H2)Node. Developed in Australia, the technology aims to reduce the production costs of green hydrogen by 10 to 20 percent, thereby accelerating the widespread adoption of this energy carrier.

Technology provider Elcogen and plant engineering company Casale have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to integrate solid oxide electrolysis into ammonia production. The partnership aims to significantly reduce CO₂ emissions in the traditionally fossil-based ammonia industry by using green hydrogen.

The administration of the Lithuanian capital has launched the construction of a hydrogen production facility in cooperation with district heating provider Vilnius Heat Networks and infrastructure company MT Group. The project aims to drive the decarbonisation of public transport and could serve as a model for the entire Baltic region.

Following Abo Energy, Energiequelle has also announced a major project in Finland’s Oulu region. Electrolysis capacity of up to 500 MW could be installed there by 2033.

The Ukrainian consortium Hydrogen Ukraine is participating in the transnational hydrogen project EastGate H2V, which aims to advance the production, distribution, and use of renewable hydrogen in Eastern Europe.

In emerging and developing countries, but also in crisis areas, there are many opportunities to use hydrogen to overcome energy poverty and establish a reliable, CO₂-neutral power supply. In this context, hydrogen-based microgrids have a decisive role to play. In this form, hydrogen-producing electrolyzers, cylinder racks for hydrogen storage and fuel cell systems for reconversion into electricity can be accommodated in the space of a shipping container. Together, they help to conserve renewable energy for later use.

Processes for the production, storage and use of hydrogen scaling, reducing costs and increasing efficiency: The trade fair Hydrogen + Fuel Cells Europe in Hannover is again proving the progress the hydrogen economy can show.

After more than 50 years of experience with hydrogen, Honeywell is also banking on green hydrogen with its company Energy and Sustainability Solutions (ESS). The US conglomerate takes the entire value chain into account: from more efficient PEM electrolysis all the way to transport infrastructure.

The US is investing a lot of money in renewable energies and also in hydrogen. With the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the Biden administration has released large sums of money to promote sustainable technologies. Even if at least some of this is likely to be reversed under a new Trump administration, a number of states have embarked on this path and - like New Mexico - are focusing on hydrogen. HZwei spoke to Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham about this in Rotterdam in the summer of 2024.

UFI Hydrogen may not yet be particularly well known to many industry participants in Germany, but the company, based in the Trento area of Italy, is part of the globally active UFI Group, which has 57 commercial offices and 22 plants worldwide (in Europe, Tunisia, China, India, Korea and Brazil, among others). Its products, mainly filters and components for thermal management, are in demand in many sectors. H2-international spoke to Marco Lazzaroni, CEO of UFI Hydrogen, the youngest company in the UFI Group, about the current economic situation in Europe, the potential of the H₂ economy and, of course, the ambitions of UFI’s hydrogen business.

In the chemical park Leuna, there was an accident involving hydrogen on August 26, 2024. During a deflagration reaction, there was a loud bang followed by a fire in the morning on the premises of the gas producer Linde.

The Norwegian company REC Solar once produced photovoltaic systems in Narvik. Today, the factory buildings stand empty. With two areas of around 5,000 square meters and cleanroom equipment, they offer good conditions for setting up fuel cell production there. The startup Teco 2030 plans to manufacture PEM fuel cells with a high power density on a gigawatt scale there in just a few years’ time.

“How quickly can we implement the energy transition?” This question has been posed for some time by the Port of Rotterdam, the largest European sea freight transshipment point. In the past – and still today – the huge industrial area was shaped by the oil and gas industry. Among other things, four large refineries are located there, which now need to be decarbonized. Boudewijn Siemons, CEO and COO of the Port of Rotterdam Authority, stated, “If it can be done electrically, it should be – with hydrogen otherwise.”

The atmosphere was good. Not ecstatic, as was sometimes the case last year, but certainly lively. Especially in Hall 13, where the Hydrogen + Fuel Cells Europe event took place, where the aisles well filled and the babble of voices was much louder than in the other halls on the exhibition grounds. Nevertheless, the impression remains that also in the 30^th year of this H₂ fair, the market breakthrough is still a long time coming and will happen “in only five years,” as has been said for 20 years.

An electrolyzer in the town of Napajedla in southeastern Czech Republic has produced the country’s first green hydrogen from solar power. The industrial green hydrogen production facility is run by Solar Global, one of the leading companies in the Czech renewables sector.

“Are we on the cusp of a hydrogen revolution or merely witnessing the build-up of another bubble?” In his new book Hydrogen 3.0 – Reality Check, author Frank Genin seeks to separate fact from fiction. In doing so, the American invites his readers on a journey to uncover the truth behind the hydrogen...

Up until now, Italian company Landi Renzo has been mainly known for its conversion sets for gas engines. Now the automotive supplier, which employs more than 1,200 staff globally, is venturing into the hydrogen sector and developing an advanced electronic pressure regulator for medium- and heavy...