Orsted, Air Liquide add to European hydrogen momentum
Two new European hydrogen projects moved a step forward today, the latest in a string of investments in an fast-evolving sector.
Danish utility Orsted said it has taken a final investment decision (FID) on a 2MW capacity project that will utilise offshore wind power, making it a 'green' hydrogen venture. French industrial gas firm Air Liquide said that it will buy a 40pc stake in H2V Normandy, which plans to build a proposed 200MW facility near Le Havre, northern France. The plant, located near ExxonMobil's 233,000 b/d Port Jerome refinery, will produce renewable and low-carbon hydrogen.
Orsted said that production from its facility will be used to fuel road transport. The French project's hydrogen will be used to decarbonise the extensive surrounding refining and chemical activities.
Hydrogen is defined by its production process. Green hydrogen is derived from electrolysis using electricity produced from renewable sources, grey hydrogen is derived from fossil fuels, and blue hydrogen relies on carbon capture and storage to mitigate the bulk of emissions. The EU wants 14pc of transport fuels to come from renewable sources by 2030, and is targeting the installation of 40GW of renewable hydrogen electrolysers over the same timeframe, up from around 1GW now.
This has prompted a recent wave of investment around Europe, often from oil companies like BP and Shell that have set net zero targets. Both are working on green hydrogen projects at refineries in Germany — the former at Lingen in partnership with Orsted, and the latter with UK electrolyser specialist ITM Power at its Rheinland facility. Shell is also working with Norway's state-controlled Equinor and German utility RWE on the giant NortH2 wind-to-hydrogen project in the Netherlands, which aims to bring 1GW of offshore wind capacity on line by 2027 to produce green hydrogen. In Italy, Eni and Enel have joined forces to supply green hydrogen by 2022-23 to two Eni refineries that currently use grey hydrogen.
Already this year, Total and French utility Engie have said that they will jointly develop a 40MW hydrogen production unit at the former's La Mede hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) plant in southeast France, Indian-owned refiner Essar Oil has set up a venture to produce low-carbon hydrogen at its 204,000 b/d Stanlow refinery in the UK, and Swedish state-owned utility Vattenfall and refinery firm Preem are investigating the use of hydrogen in large-scale biofuel production at the Lysekil refinery in southern Sweden.
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Norway-German H2 pipeline hinges on demand: Equinor
Norway-German H2 pipeline hinges on demand: Equinor
London, 24 April (Argus) — Norway and Germany have renewed a commitment to the idea of a hydrogen pipeline, but Norwegian state-owned Equinor expects the link will come in a secondary stage of development as it is focused on hydrogen production in mainland Europe as a first step. Equinor plans to take a final investment decision in late 2025 on its 210,000 t/yr Eemshaven low-carbon hydrogen plant in the Netherlands, the company's director of H2 northwest Europe Henrik Solgaard Andersen said at the Hydrogen and Fuel Cells conference in Hanover. Equinor hopes the project will supply German buyers that participate in the country's carbon contracts for difference (CfD) auctions, which are designed to help large industry decarbonise, Andersen said. Equinor has entered the final phase of studies for the plant. The facility would reform natural gas from the Norwegian offshore to hydrogen with carbon capture and storage (CCS). Undertaking this in the Netherlands means existing pipelines can be used to carry the gas from Norway rather than having to build new links. Equinor sees this as its most mature hydrogen project, followed by one near the German port of Rostock , and one near Ghent in Belgium , according to Andersen. These "local European projects" are designed for early market development and "will be the first step," he said. Equinor expects to start large-scale production of hydrogen in Norway with pipeline exports to the continent only when there is a big enough market, he said. "You don't invest in a pipeline €4bn-6bn just for [transporting] a few molecules," he said. "You need to believe in the market." Equinor in early 2023 announced a plan to supply hydrogen from Norway to German utility RWE for use in power plants. But Berlin has shifted its plans for hydrogen power a couple of times since then. It also has ambitions to use hydrogen in sectors like steel, but companies have not yet taken firm investment decisions, meaning there is uncertainty about how much hydrogen demand will materialise and when. A joint government task force working on a Norwegian-German pipeline has identified the first regulatory barriers that need to be addressed, and private infrastructure companies will continue to study the logistics, according to an announcement from Oslo and Berlin. This will build on the positive feasibility study from last year. German gas system operator operator Gascade, which is developing the AquaDuctus North Sea pipeline connection to Germany, and Norwegian state-owned operator Gassco that is developing the Norwegian side, are aiming for a 2030 start date, the companies reaffirmed this week. Gascade has proposed an open access pipeline that would be able to aggregate hydrogen exports from England, Scotland, Norway, Denmark, and North Sea wind farms. By Aidan Lea Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Canada furthers investment in GHG reductions
Canada furthers investment in GHG reductions
Houston, 18 April (Argus) — The Canadian government plans to have C$93bn ($67.5bn) in federal incentives up and running by the end of the year to spur developments in clean energy technology, hydrogen production, carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS) along with a new tax credit for electric vehicle (EV) supply chains. The Canada Department of Finance, in its 2024 budget released on 16 April, said it expects to have the first planned investment tax credits (ITCs), for CCUS and renewable energy investments, in law before 1 June. The ITCs would be available for investments made generally within or before 2023 depending on the credit. The anticipated clean hydrogen ITC is also moving forward. It could provide 15-40pc of related eligible costs, with projects that produce the cleanest hydrogen set to receive the higher levels of support, along with other credits for equipment purchases and power-purchase agreements. The government is pursuing a new ITC for EV supply chains, meant to bolster in-country manufacturing and consumer adoption of EVs with a 10pc return on the cost of buildings used in vehicle assembly, battery production and related materials. The credit would build on the clean technology manufacturing ITC, which allows businesses to claim 30pc of the cost of new machinery and equipment. To bolster reductions in transportation-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the government will also direct up to C$500mn ($363mn) in funding from the country's low-carbon fuel standard to support domestic biofuel production . Transportation is the second largest source of GHG emissions for the country, at 28pc, or 188mn metric tonnes of CO2 equivalent, in 2021. But the province of Alberta expressed disappointment at the pace of development of ITC support that could help companies affected by the country's move away from fossil fuels. "There was nothing around ammonia or hydrogen, and no updates on the CCUS ITCs that would actually spur on investment," Alberta finance minister Nate Horner said. The incentives are intended to help Canada achieve a 40-45pc reduction in GHG emissions by 2030, relative to 2005 levels. This would require a reduction in GHG emissions to about 439mn t/yr, while Canada's emissions totaled 670mn in 2021, according to the government's most recent inventory. The budget also details additional plans for the Canada Growth Fund's carbon contracts for a difference, which help decarbonize hard-to-abate industries. The government plans to add off-the-shelf contracts to its current offering of bespoke one-off contracts tailored to a specific enterprise to broaden the reach and GHG reductions of the program. These contracts incentivize businesses to invest in emissions reducing program or technology, such as CCUS, through the government providing a financial backstop to a project developer. The government and developer establish a "strike price" that carbon allowances would need to reach for a return on the investment, with the government paying the difference if the market price fails to increase. CGF signed its first contract under this program last year , with Calgary-based carbon capture and sequestration company Entropy and has around $6bn remaining to issue agreements. To stretch this funding further, the Canadian government intends for Environment and Climate Change Canada to work with provincial and territorial carbon markets to improve performance and potentially send stronger price signals to spur decarbonization. By Denise Cathey Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
US Gulf lowest-cost green ammonia in 2030: Report
US Gulf lowest-cost green ammonia in 2030: Report
New York, 16 April (Argus) — The US Gulf coast will likely be the lowest cost source of green ammonia to top global bunkering ports Singapore and Rotterdam by 2030, according to a study by independent non-profits Rocky Mountain Institute and the Global Maritime Forum. Green ammonia in Singapore is projected to be sourced from the US Gulf coast at $1,100/t, Chile at $1,850/t, Australia at $1,940/t, Namibia at $2,050/t and India at $2,090/t very low-sulphur fuel oil equivalent (VLSFOe) in 2030. Singapore is also projected to procure green methanol from the US Gulf coast at $1,330/t, China at $1,640/t, Australia at $2,610/t and Egypt at $2,810/t VLSFOe in 2030. The US Gulf coast would be cheaper for both Chinese bio-methanol and Egyptian or Australian e-methanol. But modeling suggests that competition could result in US methanol going to other ports, particularly in Europe, unless the Singaporean port ecosystem moves to proactively secure supply, says the study. In addition to space constraints imposed by its geography, Singapore has relatively poor wind and solar energy sources, which makes local production of green hydrogen-based-fuels expensive, says the study. Singapore locally produced green methanol and green ammonia are projected at $2,910/t and $2,800/t VLSFOe, respectively, in 2030, higher than imports, even when considering the extra transport costs. The study projects that fossil fuels would account for 47mn t VLSFOe, or 95pc of Singapore's marine fuel demand in 2030. The remaining 5pc will be allocated between green ammonia (about 1.89mn t VLSFOe) and green methanol (3.30mn t VLSFOe). Rotterdam to pull from US Gulf Green ammonia in Rotterdam is projected to be sourced from the US Gulf coast at $1,080/t, locally produced at $2,120/t, sourced from Spain at $2,150/t and from Brazil at $2,310/t. Rotterdam is also projected to procure green methanol from China at $1,830/t, Denmark at $2,060/t, locally produce it at $2,180/t and from Finland at $2,190/t VLSFOe, among other countries, but not the US Gulf coast . The study projects that fossil fuels would account for 8.1mn t VLSFOe, or 95pc of Rotterdam's marine fuel demand in 2030. The remaining 5pc will be allocated between green ammonia, at about 326,000t, and green methanol, at about 570,000t VLSFOe. Rotterdam has a good renewable energy potential, according to the study. But Rotterdam is also a significant industrial cluster and several of the industries in the port's hinterland are seeking to use hydrogen for decarbonisation. As such, the port is expected to import most of its green hydrogen-based fuel supply. Though US-produced green fuels are likely to be in high demand, Rotterdam can benefit from EU incentives for hydrogen imports, lower-emission fuel demand created by the EU emissions trading system and FuelEU Maritime. But the EU's draft Renewable Energy Directive could limit the potential for European ports like Rotterdam to import US green fuels. The draft requirements in the Directive disallow fuel from some projects that benefit from renewable electricity incentives, like the renewable energy production tax credit provided by the US's Inflation Reduction Act, after 2028. If these draft requirements are accepted in the final regulation, they could limit the window of opportunity for hydrogen imports from the US to Rotterdam to the period before 2028, says the study. By Stefka Wechsler Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Capital costs slow renewables in developing world
Capital costs slow renewables in developing world
New York, 16 April (Argus) — Higher cost of capital in emerging economies for clean energy technologies remains the key challenge for attracting investments to meet the goal set last year of tripling global renewable capacity by 2030. Developing nations, excluding China, need to spend around $2.4 trillion/yr on clean energy and climate resilience by 2030 to help reduce global warming, according to the UN. But governmental and development spending will fall short, said Avinash Persaud, the special adviser on climate change to the president of the Inter-American Development Bank. "There are not enough subsidies in the world to blend 2.4 trillion/yr every year to fund the energy transition," Persaud said today at the Columbia Global Energy Summit in New York. And characteristics of renewable energies make filling the gap with private-sector financing more difficult than for traditional hydrocarbons. Some clean energy technologies such as solar plants and wind farms have seen their cost of capital decreasing in more developed regions. But this cost, or the minimum expected financial return to justify an investment, for utility-scale solar PV projects in emerging and developing economies was more than twice that in advanced economies last year, energy watchdog the IEA has said. The biggest risk for developing clean energy projects in emerging economies stands on currency risks, according to Persaud. "When an investor in the developed world invests in an oil, gas, coal project in a developing country they know they have an asset that is going to earn them a foreign currency revenue if they need it. They can export that," he said, adding that the case for renewables plants is different, raising the financial risk of projects. Investors in a solar farm are paid by local consumers of the utility in local currency, increasing the hedging cost. The IEA has estimated that narrowing the gap in the cost of capital between emerging and developing economies and advanced economies by 1pc could reduce financing costs for clean energy by $150 bn/yr. By Jacqueline Echevarria Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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