Chair’s Opening Remarks

Session 1 - The role of hydrogen in achieving global climate targets and the energy transition

The decarbonisation of the global economy will require green electrons as well as green molecules. Hydrogen, when produced from clean electricity, is seen as a critical enabler of the global transition to sustainable energy and a vital component of achieving net zero emissions by 2050. However, hydrogen is currently limited to a select few industrial applications, and mostly as grey hydrogen (produced by steam reformation without carbon capture). Nevertheless, the green hydrogen market is picking up speed. Hydrogen will play an important role as an energy carrier and play a role in the decarbonisation of entire industrial sectors - be it as e-fuel in the transport sector, or as a way of reducing emissions in steel production and numerous other industries.

• Does blue hydrogen have a role as a stepping stone to achieve green hydrogen production and
  climate targets?
• Production and demand - how to make a business case and affordable price
  on hydrogen?
• How can hydrogen blending in natural gas networks effectively contribute towards
  achieving climate targets?

Audience Insights:

Explore the role of blue hydrogen as a transitional step towards green hydrogen production, alongside strategies for making hydrogen economically viable and integrating hydrogen blending into natural gas networks to meet climate targets effectively.

Session 2 - Establishing key hydrogen infrastructure through cross-border collaboration

Developing the new hydrogen economy will require policy support, public investment, and cross-border collaborations. In December 2020, 22 EU countries and Norway signed a manifesto to establish a clean hydrogen value chain and launch ‘important projects of common European interest’ (IPCEIs) in the hydrogen sector. The signatories pledged to collaborate on designing and coordinating IPCEIs covering the entire clean hydrogen value chain, including production, storage, transmission, distribution, and industrial application. The European Commission approved the first set of 41 clean hydrogen projects in July 2022. Subsequently, additional projects, including H2Sines.RDAM, have been approved.

• • What are the realistic timelines for the development of projects and what mechanisms
    are available to accelerate progress?
  • What is the benchmark for infrastructure development and what enables certain
    countries to support?
  • How feasible is piped hydrogen? Are green maritime corridors more effective?

Audience Insights:

Discover project timelines, infrastructure benchmarks, and the feasibility of piped hydrogen versus green maritime corridors, providing valuable insights for business decisions and cross-border collaboration.

Networking Lunch Break

Session 3 – The role of green ammonia in the hydrogen economy

Green hydrogen will have an important role to play in the new energy economy. Regions such as Europe, Japan, and Korea will rely, at least in the medium-term, on imports due to inadequate domestic production. The cheapest green hydrogen comes from regions necessitating longdistance transportation, a process demanding substantial energy for liquefaction and cooling. Green ammonia is already globally traded in significant volumes, offering lower energy requirements for transport, higher energy density than liquid hydrogen, and leveraging established infrastructure and safety protocols. Green ammonia can either be converted back to hydrogen and nitrogen or directly utilised as shipping fuel or decarbonising its current uses as fertiliser and chemical feedstock.

• • How feasible and developed is the role of green ammonia in shipping and hydrogen storage?
  • What is green ammonia’s role as feedstock for the pharmaceuticals and refining industries?
  • What is the potential of green ammonia to decarbonise the fertiliser sector?

Audience Insights:

 Gain insights into the benefits and challenges of converting to green ammonia, and potential applications - including its role in transportation, storage, and decarbonising industries across various sectors.

Session 4 – The use of alternative feedstocks and renewable energy sources to create a sustainable petrochemicals industry

Decarbonising petrochemicals presents challenges due to reliance on fossil fuels and energy-intensive processes. Transitioning to renewable energy, alternative feedstocks, and technologies like carbon capture and green hydrogen is crucial. Hydrogen and its derivatives require investments in infrastructure, innovation, and policy support for widespread adoption. In the EU, initiatives like the European Green Deal, EU Emissions Trading System, and Circular Economy Action Plan provide regulatory frameworks and targets to drive decarbonisation efforts, encouraging investment in clean technologies and supporting the transition to a low-carbon economy.

• What operational changes can maximise emissions reductions?
• What changes in chemical feedstock should be prioritised?
• How can we improve data collection and transparency?

Audience Insights:

Discover hydrogen derivatives, including e-fuel, and their potential for overcoming future challenges, along with insights into demand-side measures and operational enhancements to maximise emission reductions.

Networking Coffee Break

Session 5 – Strategies to decarbonise the European pulp and paper industry

Decarbonising the European pulp and paper industry is a complex challenge, demanding solutions too for high energy intensity, carbon emissions, alongside water and chemical usage. Key solutions include transitioning to green gases, electrification, and energy efficiency. Sustainable forest management practices, including certification programmes, are essential to ensure responsible wood sourcing and biodiversity conservation. Additionally, advancing cleaner pulping and papermaking technologies, alongside promoting circular economy principles for waste management, can help mitigate environmental impact. Policy frameworks such as carbon pricing and renewable energy directives play a pivotal role, alongside collaboration among stakeholders.

• What technological improvements for industrial heat and steam are available?
• How can the industry promote the circular economy to meet climate demands and reduce the
  impacts upon the environment?
• Since the invasion of Ukraine, how have energy price rises structurally altered the industry?

Audience Insights:

Renewable heating, sustainable water usage and packaging’s role in the circular economy, and industry shifts post-Ukraine invasion.

Chair’s Closing Remarks

Close of Summit Day 1

Chair’s Opening Remarks

Session 6 - Scaling the European hydrogen economy: Unlocking opportunities and investment

Europe’s hydrogen economy requires policy support and Public-private partnerships to foster investment opportunities and tackle hurdles impeding progress. The key measures in Europe’s Hydrogen Strategy encompass the establishment of a robust domestic market, support renewable hydrogen production, storage, transportation, distribution, and essential components for priority end-uses at competitive prices. Addressing investment challenges entails establishing and supporting demand markets and overcoming bottlenecks in production by scaling up manufacturing capacities for electrolysers, expanding new hydrogen production capabilities, for renewable and low-carbon hydrogen, and developing dedicated hydrogen infrastructure.

• What are the benefits of the European Commission’s ‘Fit For 55’ package, aimed to align EU policy
  with the European Green Deal and EU climate law on hydrogen related investment?
• Will injection into the gas distribution networks be a key factor in introducing green hydrogen into
  the energy system and the decarbonisation of end-uses?
• Will the introduction of the hydrogen and decarbonised gas market package be successful in creating
  a regulatory framework for dedicated hydrogen infrastructure and markets?

Audience Insights:

The impact of the EU’s ‘Fit For 55’ package on hydrogen investments, gas networks’ role in green hydrogen integration, the effectiveness of the hydrogen market package in infrastructure development, and key areas of hydrogen demand growth.

Session 7 – Identifying key hydrogen and green fuel off-takers and integrators to provide affordable, viable and effective pathways towards net zero

The high capital cost of hydrogen projects is only one factor preventing commercially viability. Another major consideration is demand shortage. Despite numerous hydrogen project announcements in the EU, only a fraction (~1%) have reached Final Investment Decision, with even fewer securing debt financing from commercial banks - the key metric for bankability. The scarcity of offtake agreements poses a significant barrier, despite a growing appetite for hydrogen applications. Given the issues of investment and infrastructure a pragmatic approach will be central to driving demand. A key offtake opportunity for hydrogen is the production of synthetic fuels and the blending of hydrogen into natural gas networks, utilising existing infrastructure and investments.

• Who are the key off-takers and integrators concerning hydrogen and green fuels such as biomethane
• How will technological advancements improve hydrogen and green gas production at scale to bring
  costs down?
• How are companies facilitating biomethane connections into gas distribution networks?

Audience Insights:

Key off-takers and integrators in the hydrogen and green fuels sector, advancements driving cost-effective production at scale, and successful strategies for integrating biomethane into gas distribution networks.

Networking Lunch Break

Session 8 – Decarbonising aviation through hydrogen and SAF

Aviation is a vital global connector and economic cornerstone but is also a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, representing ~3% of CO2 emissions. The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has targeted achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050. This will require collaboration between governments, businesses, and civil society to develop comprehensive strategies and foster sectoral collaboration. Decarbonisation solutions encompass operational enhancements for fuel efficiency, scaling up sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) usage, and exploring hydrogen-powered aircraft. SAF could, potentially, reduce emissions by up to 80%. SAF, however, like other biofuels, faces challenges in scalability, technological readiness, feedstock availability, and cost. Overcoming these hurdles demands concerted action across the industry and governments to establish a viable SAF value chain.

• Could biofuels and other sources of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) provide a better and more
  effective solution to decarbonising aviation?
• Strategies, such as RefuelEU Aviation, to tackle the issue of scalability to increase the overall use of
  SAF which currently sits at just 0.05% of total fuel consumption.
• Challenges that must be addressed for the decarbonisation of the sector.

Audience Insights:

Examine the potential of biofuels and Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) for decarbonising aviation and shipping and strategies such as RefuelEU Aviation to enhance scalability and address challenges in sector decarbonisation.

Session 9 – The role of hydrogen in decarbonising road transport

Electric vehicles (EVs) have dominated the decarbonisation of the car industry however range remains a concern for consumers and business. Hydrogen has emerged as a key technology for heavy-duty vehicles, like long-haul trucks, due to its extended range and rapid refuelling capabilities. Challenges, such as the necessity for robust hydrogen infrastructure and ensuring the widespread availability of green hydrogen from renewable sources, must be addressed. Furthermore, in heavy-duty land transport encompassing buses, trains, and commercial vehicles, hydrogen serves as a complementary option alongside electrification, particularly beneficial for heavier payloads, longer distances, and quicker refuelling times. Integrating both hydrogen fuel cells and electric batteries could optimise efficiency, with hydrogen more suitable for long-haul transport and electricity for shorter routes.

• What role could hydrogen play in the decarbonisation of fleets such as bus trucks, buses
  and coaches?
• How will the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR) enable infrastructure EU-wide for
  hydrogen refuelling?
• What challenges must be addressed for the decarbonisation of the sector?

Audience Insights:

Uncover the potential of hydrogen in decarbonising fleet trucks, learn about the impact of the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR) on EU-wide hydrogen refuelling infrastructure, and understand key challenges in sector decarbonisation.

Networking Coffee Break

Session 10 – The role of ports in decarbonising the maritime industry and shipping corridors

Ports serve a vital role in decarbonisation with significant potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across scopes 1, 2, and 3 of their complex ecosystems. By adopting cleaner technologies, optimising operations, and transitioning to renewable energy sources, ports can directly mitigate emissions from various sources such as road vehicles, harbour craft, and cargo-handling equipment. As critical trade and logistics hubs, ports can collaborate with stakeholders to improve fuel efficiency and promote sustainable practices. Ports play a key role in technology adoption, including advanced biofuels and green hydrogenbased fuels, alongside strategic partnerships and investment in renewable fuel production, storage, and
transportation.

• What strategies are being used by ports to meet the FuelEU maritime initiative demands of reducing
  greenhouse gas intensity used on board ships by 2050?
• What are the current developments between key ports in countries such as the Netherlands and
  Singapore, and Japan and Australia, and are they accelerating decarbonisation?
• How can stakeholders of the value chain finance the energy transition of shipping?

Audience Insights:

Learn about strategies ports are using to meet the FuelEU maritime initiative’s greenhouse gas reduction targets. Explore international collaborations between key ports and discuss financing options for the shipping industry’s energy transition.

Close of Summit Day 2

Chair’s Opening Remarks

Session 11 – Achieving net zero for the European ceramics industry

Ceramics is a key hard-to-abate industry in Europe - particularly within the Portuguese market. Ceramics is considered ‘difficult to decarbonise’ due to the challenge in electrifying the industry and high energy intensity, dependency on fossil fuels, emissions from high-temperature processes, and carbon leakage. Tackling these issues involves reducing energy consumption, transitioning to cleaner energy sources, such as hydrogen and other green gases, sustainable extraction of raw materials, developing low-carbon firing techniques, preventing carbon leakage, enhancing energy efficiency, implementing effective policies, fostering technological innovation, collaborating with supply chains, and creating market incentives for low-carbon ceramics.

• What is the role of hydrogen in decarbonising the ceramics industry and ensuring a more
  sustainable future?
• How can the implantation of the EU Commissions ‘Fit for 55’ package accelerate decarbonisation
  within the industry through its various initiatives?
• What other strategies are in place to decarbonise the ceramics industry and what progress has
  already been made?

Audience Insights:

Explore the pivotal role of hydrogen in decarbonising the ceramics industry, with insights into the potential acceleration of decarbonisation through the EU Commission’s ‘Fit for 55’ package and other industry strategies and progress.

Session 12 – The importance of Europe as global market for clean fuels

European companies are exploring opportunities both within the continent and globally. The EU aims to import 10 million tons of green hydrogen and its derivatives by 2030, necessitating rapid investment in infrastructure such as hydrogen terminals and repurposed LNG infrastructure. However, there are significant challenges for hydrogen exporters in meeting standards for the EU’s renewable fuels of non-biological origin (RFNBO) and Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) mandates. Unifying certification schemes for hydrogen and clean fuels is key to avoiding market fragmentation and establishing a global market.

• How are European firms viewing global clean fuels project development opportunities against
  opportunities on the continent?
• What are the EU’s infrastructure needs for a potential wave of hydrogen/ammonia imports, and how
  quickly can this infrastructure be built?
• What are the potential lurking macroeconomic and geopolitical risks for the expected boom in
  low-carbon fuel imports into the European Union?

Audience Insights:

The challenges faced by hydrogen exporters meeting EU standards, European firms’ perspectives on global clean fuels projects, infrastructure needs for hydrogen/ammonia imports to the EU, and the associated macroeconomic and geopolitical risks of increased low-carbon fuel imports.

Session 13 – Achieving net zero for the European glass industry

Glass manufacturing globally produces at least 86 million tonnes of carbon dioxide every year. The roadmap to decarbonisation is relatively clear: replacing fossil fuels as fuel and feed stock with hydrogen and green gasses, using electric furnaces powered with renewable and addressing high-temperature processes, alongside waste heat recovery. Recycling is key to reducing emissions. Between 75% - 85% of the carbon emissions from glass manufacturing are produced by the heating of furnaces to 1,500°c – currently by using natural gas. Europe is the world’s most advanced region - new glass made in the European Union already contains 52% recycled material.

• What is the role of hydrogen, biofuels, and e-fuels in decarbonising the glass industry and ensuring
  a more sustainable future?
• How important is glass recycling to reducing emissions for glass manufacturing?
• What other strategies are in place to decarbonise the glass industry and what progress has already
  been made?

Audience Insights:

The role of hydrogen, biofuels, and e-fuels in decarbonising the glass industry, the potential of electric furnaces and other strategies for decarbonisation within the sector.

End of the Hydrogen & Decarbonisation Conference