Your EU – Your Projects in Belgium: accelerating hydrogen
Hydrogen can play an important role in cutting emissions from industry and the transport and energy sectors. It is especially useful where electrification is difficult, such as for heavy-duty vehicles or in large industrial processes. The European Union supports research, cutting-edge technologies and infrastructure so that renewable hydrogen can become more affordable and widespread.
EU programmes such as Horizon Europe, the Innovation Fund and the Connecting Europe Facility offer funding that help move ideas from the lab to the market and install renewable hydrogen infrastructure across Europe.
The following projects provide a glimpse into how EU funding is benefitting hydrogen facilities in Belgium.
GIGA-SCALES — industrial-scale membranes for electrolysers
The GIGA-SCALES project is setting up a pioneering industrial-scale plant near Antwerp to manufacture hydrogen membranes a key component of alkaline electrolysers used to produce green hydrogen. Thanks to this support, the production of these membranes can move from pilot scale to large-scale manufacturing, helping to reduce the total cost of hydrogen production. With a capacity equivalent to 20 gigawatts of electrolysers per year, the project is strengthening Europe’s clean-tech industry and supporting the wider roll-out of renewable hydrogen.
The project is funded by the Innovation Fund, with the EU contributing €11 million in funding.
LIFE NEW HYTS — renewable green hydrogen for transport
The LIFE NEW HYTS project focuses on producing and using green hydrogen for trucks and heavy machinery. The project installed a 2.5-megawatt electrolyser and will operate hydrogen-powered vehicles to collect real-life performance and emission data. It will also develop a business model for regional hydrogen supply. LIFE NEW HYTS includes replication plans of the pilot in Utrecht for Bruges, helping to bring the lessons learned to Belgium and strengthen local clean transport solutions.
The project is funded by the Life Programme, with the EU contributing €4.6 million in funding.
HYDRA — assessing benefits and risks of a hydrogen economy
The HYDRA research project, coordinated by a Belgian organisation, aims to better understand the environmental effects and climate impacts of a large-scale hydrogen economy, including potential leakage along the value chain. The project combines advanced climate modelling with the development of a new detection tool to discover those leakages. This way, it will provide policymakers with reliable information to guide safe and sustainable hydrogen deployment, supporting Europe’s long-term climate objectives.
The project is funded by Horizon Europe Climate, with the EU contributing €3.8 million in funding.
STARGATE — greener airports and hydrogen in the airport ecosystem
The STARGATE project led by Brussels Airport, works on innovative solutions to reduce emissions in the airport ecosystem. It tests measures related to energy use, digital tools, cleaner fuels and mobility around the airport. Several Belgian partners contribute to this work. While not focused solely on hydrogen, the project supports cleaner ground operations and helps explore how airports can support the wider energy transition.
The project is funded by Horizon Europe Transport, with the EU contributing €3.8 million in funding.
READ the latest news shaping the hydrogen market at Hydrogen Central
Your EU – Your Projects in Belgium: accelerating hydrogen, source
