LNG giant Royal Dutch Shell and German energy firm Uniper are joining forces to explore accelerating the development of a hydrogen economy in Europe.
In that regard, Shell Gas & Power Developments and Uniper Hydrogen have signed a memorandum of understanding, according to a joint statement on Tuesday.
Under the memorandum, the duo aims to find joint opportunities to couple industrial but also mobility demand with hydrogen supply, production and storage.
The companies will begin by assessing the opportunity to develop potential synergies to accelerate existing projects in Germany, the Netherlands and potentially other European countries.
“Taking a full value chain approach Shell and Uniper will work backwards from customer demand to identify key opportunities to develop the foundation of a new hydrogen economy in Europe,” the statement said.
Moreover, the two firms will work on the necessary infrastructure for large scale transport of hydrogen and CO2 from the ports of Rotterdam and Wilhelmshaven to North Rhine Westphalia – the industrial heartland of Germany.
One of the projects includes Shell’s Rheinland energy and chemicals park. The firm has recently opened a 10MW PEM electrolyser, the largest of its kind in Europe.
In addition, Uniper will further explore the supply of hydrogen from the existing Uniper production sites at Rotterdam and Wilhelmshaven to the Shell energy and chemicals park Rheinland locations at Wesseling and Godorf.
Also, Uniper, a unit of Finland’s Fortum, intends to connect its power plant in Gelsenkirchen Scholven as well as some large-scale customers with its coastal hydrogen production plants.
“The MoU reflects Shell’s Powering Progress strategy and target to reach net zero emissions by 2050, in step with society, and will support Uniper’s ambition to become carbon-neutral in Europe by 2035,” the statement said.