The case in summary: In March 2023, the ferry M/F “Hydra” started running on liquid hydrogen. The ferry is the first in the world to run on this fuel. This should also help cut emissions. But despite the fact that there are five hydrogen factories in Norway, and many more are being planned, none can deliver fuel to the ferry. They get their fuel from a factory in Germany. The industry itself believes that Norway has been too fixated on electrification, and has not considered other alternatives. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAI. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. – It is so quiet on board that you can hear a pin drop in the door. This is how chief engineer Øyvind Tveitane Lovra summarizes what it’s like on board M/F “Hydra”. The first ferry in the world to move forward with energy from liquid hydrogen. For almost a year, the ferry has been in operation in a fjord in the fjord landscape of Western Norway. On the side of the wheelhouse on the ferry you see the tank with liquid hydrogen. It provides energy to a processing facility. The processing facility provides energy which in turn charges the battery pack on board. These batteries correspond to approximately 12 Teslas. The battery again supplies power to two electric motors, which are used for propulsion across the fjord. The ferry then travels back and forth across the fjord between Hjelmeland and Nesvik. Apart from the fact that she has hydrogen on board, this ferry also carries cars and passengers. There are separate rules when moving in an area with hydrogen. Mobile phones, among other things, are not allowed. With water vapor from the chimney from the hydrogen plant, which in turn charges the battery pack on board, the ferry will make its way in the green shift. Norway has set a target of halving all greenhouse gas emissions from domestic shipping by 2030. – We are very satisfied with how the ferry has worked, says the chief engineer, who has experience from both “Hydra” and “old” diesel ferries. Øyvind Tveitane Lovra is chief engineer on board the new hydrogen ferry. Despite the fact that hydrogen is explosive, he feels safe on board. Photo: Olav Røli / news Captain: Norway should have produced this itself Now there are new times across the fjord between Hjelmeland and Nesvik. There is only one big problem. Liquid hydrogen cannot be produced in Norway. Thus, the ferry still receives hydrogen with a trailer from a hydrogen factory in Leuna in Germany. The plant that produces liquid hydrogen is located in the German city of Leuna. The distance between Leuna in Germany and Hjelmeland is 1,330 kilometers, by ferry. Without a ferry, the trip is 2,000 kilometers and takes around 24 hours. At Hjelmeland is the destination for the liquid hydrogen. Here it is used in the ferry that runs on the connection Nesvik-Hjelmeland-Ombo. Visualisation: Anders Nøkling – If it were up to us, we would of course have got this in Norway, says Tveitane Lovra. Captain Gunstein Aukland is in complete agreement. – I think everyone agrees that a country like Norway, with such large energy production, should have produced this itself, he says. Gunstein Aukland is the captain of the ferry that crosses the fjord in Ryfylke. He believes Norway should have been able to supply the ferry with hydrogen. Photo: Olav Røli / news Vestre: A big day for the world Already in 2019, news wrote an article about the trailers that were to go from Germany to Norway with liquid hydrogen for “Hydra”. Since then, several hydrogen factories have opened in Norway. There are now a total of five factories in operation. The company Hyds has, among other things, facilities at Stord in Vestland. And on 8 February they opened a new factory on Eigerøya in Rogaland, with Minister of Industry Jan Christian Vestre (Ap) present. Useful and explosive. Hydrogen is one of the most common elements in the world. – A great day for Egersund, a great day for Rogaland, a great day for Norway, and a great day for the world. Here I see the green shift in practice, Vestre told news during the opening. The distance from Eigerøya to Hjelmeland is 145 kilometers. But this time it is not produced for the ferry in the same county either. On 8 February, a new hydrogen factory opened on Eigerøya in Rogaland. Now there are five such in operation in Norway. Photo: Philip Kollstrøm / news Hydrogen boss: Demand is too small Hyds CEO Tor Henrik Hagen is clear as to why: The investment is too big, the market too small. – But if we can scale up and get slightly larger ferries, then we can build facilities for liquid hydrogen in Norway, he says. The company Linde, which produces liquid hydrogen in Germany, wrote to news that they are looking at the possibility of local production in Norway. Secretary General Ingebjørg Tellnes Wilhelmsen of the Norwegian Hydrogen Forum agrees that shipping hydrogen from Germany to Norway is not “an ideal solution.” A total of 59 plants for hydrogen production are being planned in Norway. Only in Vestland county are plants planned in Svelgen, Odda, Skipavik, Høyanger and Florø. In addition, a large hydrogen factory is planned in either Kollsnes or Mongstad, according to BA. – So before too long, Norway will be able to produce hydrogen for “Hydra”, she believes. These are the different color codes for hydrogen There are four colors that are used to categorize hydrogen, based on the origin of the hydrogen – green, grey, blue and turquoise. Green hydrogen is made from electricity and renewable energy. To produce green hydrogen, electrolysis is used from water and electricity. Gray hydrogen comes from coal, oil or natural gas. All the CO₂ from the fossil fuels is released, which is harmful to the climate. Blue hydrogen also uses coal, oil or natural gas, but in a way that does not lead to emissions. The CO₂ gas that is produced is separated from the hydrogen and is stored under the seabed. Turquoise’s hydrogen is relatively new. Instead of separating out the carbon in natural gas as CO₂, one pyrolyzes the natural gas so that the carbon becomes a solid. Source: Sintef.no But this requires the authorities to get involved and makes it more expensive to pollute, says Tellnes Wilhelmsen. – If we are to reach the climate targets by 2030, we are completely dependent on using hydrogen, she believes. State Secretary Astrid Bergmål (Ap) in the Ministry of Energy believes the government is betting on hydrogen. (See the full answer further down in the text) – There are a number of possible solutions to cut emissions within transport, for example biofuel, electricity, hydrogen and e-fuel. The government wants different solutions to be tested. The Norwegian Nature Conservancy: Must not create an artificial market The industry organization believes that the authorities have relied too heavily on electrification and that this has put other fuels for ships in the background. – We have seen enormous electric car success, and that is good. But now we have to take the big greenhouse gas cuts in shipping, power-intensive industry and heavy transport. Then I have to switch to hydrogen, says the general secretary. Head of department Holger Schlaupitz at the Norwegian Nature Conservancy, for his part, warns against hydrogen. They think it is too energy-demanding to produce. This is answered by State Secretary Astrid Bergmål (Ap) in the Ministry of Energy. The Government will contribute to building value chains for hydrogen in Norway and to developing a well-functioning hydrogen market. In the period 2021-2023, almost NOK 5 billion has been authorized for hydrogen purposes through the public policy apparatus, among other things within shipping and land transport. Enova is now launching a strengthened investment, particularly aimed at the maritime sector, which can provide support of up to 80 per cent of the investment costs. The government has also ensured that Norwegian players have the opportunity to apply for support from the EU’s hydrogen bank. It is very energy-intensive to produce hydrogen, which is why it is important to increase access to renewable energy production. The government is making arrangements for this, among other things through an ambitious investment in offshore wind and measures for faster license processing and better utilization of the power grid. Hydrogen production is among the industries that can receive CO2 compensation. In order to develop low-carbon hydrogen value chains, based on natural gas with CCS, the government’s investment in CO2 handling is also central. The most important tool for developing alternative fuels is the CO2 tax. The fee is technology-neutral and ensures that the most cost-effective solutions are chosen. It is important for the government that climate solutions are established on a market basis, and that the players themselves develop the market by selling where they see the most benefit. Then the market grows as quickly as possible, and provides faster and cheaper emission cuts. There are a number of possible solutions to cut emissions within transport, for example biofuel, electricity, hydrogen and e-fuel. The government wants different solutions to be tested. And that electricity and biogas are better solutions for cutting emissions in ship traffic. Rasmus Mjølsnes is on the ferry that runs on hydrogen. And I think it is right that action is taken to cut greenhouse gas emissions. But I have some doubts about the environmental accounting when the hydrogen comes from Germany. Photo: Olav Røli / news – Hydrogen must only be used in connection where batteries or biogas are not available. It is not good if we create an artificially high demand for hydrogen, says Schlaupitz. Hello! Do you have any thoughts after reading this case, or would you like to advise us about similar or other cases? Send me an email.
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No Norwegian hydrogen factories can deliver to Norwegian ships – hydrogen ferries must be ordered from Germany – news Vestland
