EMR Hydrogen Booster

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In the context of climate change and several international agreements to combat it, interest in hydrogen has seen a major surge in recent years. Being a gas that can be produced from renewable electricity (through water electrolysis), hydrogen will play a key role in the decarbonised energy system of the future. After all, molecular energy carriers provide flexibility as a storage medium and can help balance the variability of a largely renewable energy system. Most importantly, hydrogen can be used to decarbonise sectors where electrification is either extremely difficult or costly, such as industry or heavy duty transport. Also, hydrogen could replace fossils that are used as a feedstock in various industrial processes, thereby reducing emissions also beyond the energy system. On 14 July 2021, the "European Green Deal" was presented by Frans Timmermans, Vice-President of the European Commission. The plan sets out how Europe's entire economy and society will have to undergo a profound transformation in order to ensure that, by 2030, CO2 emissions are reduced by 55% and that ultimately, by 2050, Europe will be the first to become a climate-neutral economy. These are towering ambitions that we will all have to achieve. Because of its unique characteristics as a clean molecular energy carrier or feedstock, hydrogen is seen as a pivotal component of a climate-neutral economy in this policy plan.  Based on the above mentioned contribution from hydrogen to the European Green Deal, we have developed a project, based on real needs, which directly meets the goals as defined in the EMR programme about promoting green growth. Our project, EMR Hydrogen Booster, aimed at boosting the realisation of a hydrogen economy in the EMR region, as such contributes directly to the European Green Deal. Related to the time period of the 8th call, which is just 18 months, the partnership was realistic about the way to proceed and the results to be achieved. Our project is focussed on the transition to a green society in which the green entrepreneurs (SMEs) and the sustainable energy communities play a central role. Several players within the EMR region have already developed knowledge and expertise on hydrogen, and now want to bundle their strengths to boost the development of clean hydrogen innovation, demonstration and knowledge sharing in the region, as a first step towards the large-scale roll-out of a clean hydrogen economy in the future.  However, innovation is risky and expensive. Ideas and initiatives that are born threaten to perish due to a lack of knowledge or a good test environment. The EMR Hydrogen Booster project has been set up to bring together green hydrogen ideas, innovations, students, educational institutions, SMEs, industry and interested parties throughout the value chain and facilitate pre-competitive cooperation to develop the green hydrogen chain. A number of partners have found each other in the project and want to: - Connect parties and initiatives, accelerate the innovation in the hydrogen chain and make it more sustainable towards green hydrogen, realising sustainable growth and employment in the process. - Create an open innovation climate and promote hydrogen in order to turn the region into a Euregional innovation ecosystem for the transition to green hydrogen. - Providing a (demonstration and learning) environment, knowledge and technology for vocational education. The project consists of four content related work packages (T1-T4) to achieve this: T1: Mapping of industrial players and regional strengths in the field of green hydrogen In order to structure all availabe information, we will start by mapping all existing and directly related regional plans, roadmaps, studies, etc. as well as all kinds of industrial players (mainly SMEs) who are in some way or another dealing with hydrogen. Besides mapping these industrial players we will also map relevant R&D; at regional research institutes within the EMR-region. The results of this overview will be used to develop cases in T2 and a community in T 4. We focus on SME's (at least 100 SMEs), thereby supporting their competitiveness as well. T2: Definition of a number of cases to be developed as a stepping-stone to project realisations Building on the results of the mapping exercise we will organise matchmaking sessions which will take place cross border within the EMR region. Based on the matchmaking results, and considering the result of workpackage 1,  we start identifying "cases" - meaning specific topics or project opportunities are identified which will be examined in detail. At the end of this proces we will come up with at least 4 hydrogen related project ideas ready for further development. T3: Inspiration and demonstration events We will organise within the EMR regions, several types of inspiration and demonstration sessions for further stimulation, sensitisation and infomation. Activities to raise awareness of techniques and application possibilities are inspiration events, demonstration events and workshops/information sessions on specific topics. T4: Establishment of an Euregional cross-border network In this work package we will develop an EMR hydrogen booster, i.e. a network of SMEs, knowledge institutes and governmental and business organisations within the EMR region who are willing to collaborate in renewable energy projects with a specific focus on hydrogen. T5: First Level Control All declarations need to be checked, approved and certified by an FLC. M Management Project Management, including financial management, in order to get the project done on time, on budget, as agreed and in relative harmony. Good contact internally with the partnership, but also with associated partners and board of stakeholders will be secured. C Communication Besides start-up activities, public (kick-off and closing) events, promotion material and digital activities will be realised. Also the content related work packages T1-T4 will be supported on a communication level.

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