PORSGRUNN/OSLO, JUNE 13, 2023 One year ago, HydrogenPro’s chairwoman Ms. Ellen Hanetho, the CFO Martin Thanem Holtet and CEO of The Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise (NHO), Mr. Ole Erik Almlid, met for an informal conversation. The result of this conversation is today presented as a proposal for a specific national hydrogen strategy. Today this was handed to the government through the Minister of Petroleum and Energy, Mr. Terje Aasland. NHO and The Confederation of Trade Unions (LO) have brought together all relevant businesses from electrolyser manufacturers to end users where they have worked intensively over the past six months to come up with specific proposals for the government to follow up.
The US has its Inflation Reduction Act, and the EU has its RePower EU and the Net Zero Industrial Act with associated incentive schemes to create a sustainable hydrogen industry. How can Norway get on the playing field and assert itself in this landscape?
In this strategy, it is pointed out that “In 2030, Norwegian suppliers of electrolysers should have a market share of up to 25 per cent of the EU’s internal demand, corresponding to an annual production capacity of 7-10 GW”.
Equally it is pointed out that the current incentives and instruments are not sufficient, and that Norway should “Implement various schemes for investment support for the establishment and development of hydrogen technology in Norway within the framework of EU regulations. This can be in the form of direct investment support, loans, guarantees, or other.”
– The Norwegian hydrogen market is too underdeveloped and the support schemes so absent that it makes sense for us to establish ourselves in the USA and the EU where the markets are rapidly developing and the support systems are in place, says CEO Tarjei Johansen.” Furthermore, he states that HydrogenPro are naturally open to establishing a plant in Norway as well if this proposed strategy is adopted.
– We are not asking for support, we have managed well without it, but as a rational business we will place our business where it is most cost-efficient and profitable at any given time, which is currently within the EU and in the USA, says Johansen.
