European Innovation Fund Backs Air Liquide's Hydrogen Project in Port of Antwerp
Key Ideas
- French multinational Air Liquide secures a €110 million grant from the European Innovation Fund for a hydrogen project in Antwerp's port.
- The Enhance project aims to convert ammonia into low-carbon hydrogen using new cracking technology, contributing to Europe's energy transition.
- Air Liquide plans to reduce over 300,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually by modifying its hydrogen production unit to use renewable ammonia.
- The project also includes building a hydrogen tank at the site and potentially exporting ammonia for hydrogen production to regions with limited renewable energy access.
French company Air Liquide has received a €110 million grant from the European Innovation Fund for their hydrogen project in the port of Antwerp, Belgium. The project, known as Enhance, will see the construction of an industrial-scale ammonia cracking plant to convert ammonia into low-carbon and renewable hydrogen using innovative technology. This initiative is seen as pivotal in Europe's energy transition. The company plans to modify existing infrastructure to use renewable ammonia instead of natural gas, with the potential to significantly reduce CO2 emissions. Additionally, Air Liquide aims to construct a hydrogen tank on-site. Armelle Levieux of Air Liquide expressed appreciation for the European Commission's support, emphasizing the project's role in establishing a sustainable hydrogen infrastructure in Europe. The company's strategic move involves testing the technology at a pilot plant before full implementation. Ammonia, a compound comprising hydrogen and nitrogen, offers an alternative energy source. By producing ammonia from hydrogen in regions abundant in renewable energy, it can be exported for conversion back into hydrogen in areas with limited renewable resources, showcasing a global impact of the project.