The Norwegian government has published an electrification strategy and a roadmap for hydrogen production, featuring specific ambitions for maritime hubs and industrial production.

The government will seek to establish five hydrogen hubs in coastal regions by 2025, with the initial goal that hydrogen will be established as an alternative fuel for the shipping industry and for some parts of the road transport sector.

It will also establish one or two industrial projects with associated hydrogen production facilities, as well as 5-10 pilot projects for the development and demonstration of new hydrogen technologies such as green hydrogen.

2025 – Deadline for establishment of five hydrogen hubs

In its revised national budget, the government proposed more financing for hydrogen infrastructure, and for the establishment of a research centre focusing on hydrogen and ammonia production technologies.

The Research Council of Norway and financial technology firm Enova have also launched a research partnership called Heilo.

The government’s hydrogen strategy, published last year, announced that there would be a particular focus on blue hydrogen, given the nation’s natural gas reserves and experience with carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies.

Norway is home to the Northern Lights CCS project on the Norwegian continental shelf, which is being developed by Equinor, Shell and TotalEnergies.

“Retaining expertise and technologies in the oil and gas sector is also vital for the development of new industries and technologies such as CCS, offshore wind and hydrogen,” says Tina Bru, minister of petroleum and energy.

Norway has a target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 90-95pc compared with 1990 levels by 2050.

 

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Author: Tom Young