Major Nordic hydrogen meeting in Iceland

In Reykjavik, 140 stakeholders in research, national authorities and companies from all Nordic countries met to update each other on important ongoing implementation and research projects in the field of hydrogen. At the same time, the news was presented that in 2025 it is time to be seen again in Luleå.

- "This conference is important for strengthening cooperation between the Nordic countries in the field of hydrogen, a lot is happening in the field and we are constantly learning from each other," says CH2ESS Executive Director Cecilia Wallmark.

Great public interest

At the conference, Nordic Hydrogen Valley Conference, organized by Nordic Energy Research, in Reykjavik, Iceland, researchers from Luleå University of Technology's hydrogen initiative CH2ESS participated. They did this together with stakeholders in the two major Nordic hydrogen projects that started this fall under the leadership of Luleå University of Technology.

Professor Joakim Lundgren presented the project, Hydrogen, Ammonia, and Methanol in Hydrogen Hubs in the Nordic Region, H2AMN. The audience was very interested in the project's two case studies in ports in Sweden and Iceland, and in the rock cavern research that will be carried out.

Cecilia Wallmark presented the project Hydrogen Safety and Improved Permit Processes, H2SIPP together with Marcus Runefors, researcher in fire safety at Lund University. The audience showed particular interest in the analysis and methodology on permit processes, acceptance and hydrogen safety.

In both projects, several of the research and business stakeholders involved attended the conference: IVL, Lund University, Aalto University, University of Iceland, NTNU, Nordion Energi, Landsvirkjun, Port of Piteå, Gen-H Oy.

- The large attendance established a deeper exchange between the research projects and stakeholders, says Cecilia Wallmark.

Soon time for return match in Luleå

She says that during the conference they realized that the other three projects within the Nordic Energy Research Programme, Recommended funding within the call Hydrogen Valleys as Energy Hubs - Nordic Energy Research, will perform parallel energy and economic analyses of specific geographical areas as case studies and also complementary research in material science and safety. Therefore, a continued contact between the projects is valuable.

- Finally, it was revealed that the next Nordic Hydrogen Valley conference will be held at Luleå University of Technology in 2025. We are of course very much looking forward to that, says Cecilia Wallmark.

She adds:

- It will be a good opportunity to follow up on what has happened in the Nordic hydrogen cooperation during the two years that have passed since we last held a Nordic hydrogen conference in Luleå.