Global cooperation between nations is a necessity for the energy sector. Nations all over the world are fostering partnerships that promote cross-border business, especially as most nations are not yet energy independent and rely on capacity from other energy-producing countries. That cooperative nature of the energy sector has been boosted by the news that the Port of Hamburg has agreed to a new partnership between several huge energy companies in Germany, as well as a major player in the sector from Japan.
Germany is set to become a hub for the international hydrogen sector through a new partnership
Port officials in Hamburg have reported that at the recent Hydrogen Technology World Expo in Hamburg, a memorandum of understanding was signed between Daimler Truck AG (Daimler Truck), Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA), and Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd that aims to strengthen the standing of hydrogen in the region through a strategic partnership.
The new partnership aims to foster a strategic supply of hydrogen from nations that produce the renewable energy source to Germany, making Hamburg the spiritual home of hydrogen in Europe. The heads of all the companies involved in the new strategic partnership released separate statements regarding the announcement.
“The partnership is an important step in this direction, and we will need more initiatives like this to strengthen Europe’s position as a leader in liquid hydrogen. What makes it special is that our Mercedes-Benz GenH2 Truck can not only be powered by liquid green hydrogen – the truck can also transport it via road. And the best thing about it: Hydrogen allows us to increase the speed of decarbonization – and reduce the scope and cost of the already slow expansion of the power grid.” – Dr. Andreas Gorbach, Member of the Board of Management Daimler Truck and Head of Truck Technology
Hydrogen has become the cornerstone of the renewable energy market in the region
While promising advancements in solar and wind power have strengthened the sector overall, hydrogen has the most potential among the renewable energy sector as the most practical and cost-efficient way to decarbonize Europe’s energy sector. Each partner brings their own expertise to the hydrogen table. Kawasaki Heavy Industries is an experienced technology provider in the field of hydrogen infrastructure, HHLA is a European network logistics provider, and Daimler Truck is a global commercial vehicle manufacturer with a focus on CO2-neutral battery-electric and hydrogen-based drive systems.
“Our goal is to reliably supply the industry with hydrogen via our European logistics network. The partnership with Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Daimler Truck is an important step toward making liquid hydrogen more widely available and jointly advancing decarbonization. – Annette Walter, Chief Financial Officer, Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA)
Not to be left out of the party, Kawasaki Heavy Industries management also released a statement outlining the details of the new strategic partnership that will, without a doubt, strengthen Europe’s hydrogen sector. Germany recently opened its first green hydrogen production facility.
“We are very pleased to be working with HHLA and Daimler Truck to explore the feasibility of establishing an international supply chain for liquid hydrogen in Europe, starting with Hamburg. Kawasaki Heavy Industries possesses proven technologies and experience in the production, storage, transportation, and reception of liquid hydrogen. We will leverage this expertise to contribute to the development of a hydrogen supply network in Europe. Going forward, we remain committed to expanding the use of liquid hydrogen through global partnerships and accelerating the transition to a decarbonized society.” – Kei Nomura, Executive Central Manager, Hydrogen Strategy Division, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd
The global energy sector needs more strategic partnerships to further strengthen the market
The MoU signed between the three companies enables Europe to accelerate the energy transition to the renewable energy sector through strategic partnerships that lean on each member’s expertise. Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe, and time has allowed the world to develop sufficient technology that allows us to extract hydrogen and efficiently transport it around the globe. The consensus is that more partnerships like this one will become the norm as the wind power sector gains momentum in Europe.
