Belgium makes hydrogen a priority – Economic Policy
The market is promising for the future of the energy mix, with billions of euros and thousands of jobs at stake. A Center of Expertise has been created and diplomatic contacts established.
Capturing solar and wind energy for carrier in the form of a hydrogen molecule: this is a market with a future. The challenge is not small: it is a question of allowing the transition of heavy industry, responsible for a third of CO2 emissions in our country. Belgium intends to be a pioneer in the field. At the global level, this market promises, it is true, to be gigantic by 2050, within the framework of the energy transition and the decarbonization of economies.
According to the Clean Hydrogen Partnership, the European public-private partnership which supports the sector, there is a potential of one billion euros in added value by the end of the decade and about 10,000 jobs, in Belgium alone. The port of Antwerp could become a hub for the continent, a transit hub for precious molecules. In Wallonia, the Liège company John Cockerill is positioned as one of the spearheads: it is already a producer of electrolyzers and storage solutions for nearly 1,000 customers from different sectors of industry.
Heading for Oman and Namibia
Tinne Van der Straeten (Groen), Federal Minister for Energy, and Thomas Dermine (PS), Secretary of State for Recovery, confirmed this Belgian ambition on 11 February by announcing the creation of a “Hydrogen Center of Expertise”, a large-scale test unit for experimenting with technology outside of university labs. Investment: 16.2 million, as part of the recovery plan.
The linchpin will be the von Karman Institute (VKI), specialized in fluid dynamics. One certainty: the Center of Expertise will not see the light of day where its head office is located, in Rhode-Saint-Genèse, because hydrogen is an explosive product. “This Belgian installation could be used as a shared infrastructure, open to external partners, that is to say from the academic world, research institutes and industry, specifies Tinne Van der Straeten. “a real pool of talent and innovation, necessary in the context of the transition to 100% renewable energy and climate neutrality.”
Belgium is also multiplying diplomatic contacts in order to establish itself on the market which is highly dependent on the sun to be transformed into energy. The subject was at the heart of a royal mission devoted to this subject, at the beginning of February. The president of the Namibia, Hage Geingob, was received with great pomp at the port of Antwerp. “With its deserts which offer large capacities in terms of solar and wind energy, Namibia wants to position itself as a pioneer country in terms of energy transition, specifies the Belgian government. In this context, its authorities are interested in storage capacities enabled by green hydrogen and Belgian technologies.”
Belgium attributed to to be dependent for one’s energy, in the future. But it won’t just be Ukrainian gas anymore.
Capturing solar and wind energy for the transporter in the form of a hydrogen molecule: this is a market for the future. The challenge is not small: it is a question of allowing the transition of heavy industry, responsible for a third of CO2 emissions in our country. Belgium intends to be a pioneer in the field. At the global level, this market promises, it is true, to be gigantic by 2050, within the framework of the energy transition and the decarbonization of economies. According to the Clean Hydrogen Partnership, the European public-private partnership which supports the sector, there is a potential of one billion euros in added value by the end of the decade and around 10,000 jobs, in Belgium alone. The port of Antwerp could become a hub for the continent, a transit hub for precious molecules. In Wallonia, the Liège company John Cockerill is positioned as one of the spearheads: it is already a producer of electrolyzers and storage solutions for nearly 1,000 customers from different sectors of industry. Tinne Van der Straeten (Groen), Federal Minister for Energy, and Thomas Dermine (PS), Secretary of State for Recovery, confirmed this Belgian ambition on 11 February by announcing the creation of a “Center of Expertise in hydrogen”, a large-scale test unit for experimenting with the technology outside of university laboratories. Investment: 16.2 million, as part of the recovery plan. The linchpin will be the von Karman Institute (VKI), specialized in fluid dynamics. One certainty: the Center of Expertise will not see the light of day where its head office is located, in Rhode-Saint-Genèse, because hydrogen is an explosive product. “This Belgian installation could be used as a shared infrastructure, open to external partners, that is to say from the academic world, research institutes and industry, specifies Tinne Van der Straeten. “a real pool of talent and innovation, necessary in the context of the transition to 100% renewable energy and climate neutrality.” Belgium is also increasing diplomatic contacts to establish itself in the highly sun-drenched market in transform into energy. The subject was at the heart of a royal mission devoted to this subject, at the beginning of February. The President of Namibia, Hage Geingob, was received with great pomp at the port of Antwerp. “With its deserts which offer great capacities in terms of solar and wind energy, Namibia wants to position itself as a pioneer country in terms of energy transition, specifies the Belgian government. In this context, its authorities are interested in the storage capacities allowed by green hydrogen and in Belgian technologies.” Belgium recommends being dependent for its energy in the future. But it will no longer be only Ukrainian gas. .