Industrial decarbonisation

€860 billion needed to finance German climate goals

The new German government should enable the investment of about 860 billion euros until 2030 to initiate emission reduction activities across all sectors of the economy, the German industry association BDI has said, reported CLEW.

Green jobs and the green transition: A long, bumpy but exciting journey

The green transition will profoundly impact Europe's labour markets. While a few regions will be exposed to job losses in fossil fuel-reliant sectors like coal mining, the energy transition will keep generating demand for low- and medium-skilled roles, write Maroš Šefčovič and Bertrand Piccard.

Hydrogen trade: Belgium signs deal with Chile, Germany woos UAE

As leaders announced their climate pledges at COP26, side-rooms saw the port of Antwerp sign a MoU with Chile and German initiative H2Global try to charm the Emirates, who aim for 25% of hydrogen global market share by 2050.

Carbon capture: Europe’s trump card for waste treatment?

Europe has a waste problem. In 2018, over two million tonnes of rubbish was treated in the EU, with just under half of this going to landfills, where it releases climate-damaging methane emissions.

Spanish energy tax threatens EU’s green hydrogen plans, industry warns

As energy prices soar across Europe, the chairman of electricity giant Iberdrola warned of short-sighted measures in Spain that are threatening the expansion of renewable electricity needed for the production of green hydrogen.

Why CO2 transport and storage infrastructure is vital to reach climate neutrality

The large-scale deployment of cross-border CO2 transport and storage infrastructure is crucial for the EU to reach its 2050 climate target. To this end, all modes of CO2 transport – pipeline, ship, barge, truck, train – and CO2 storage should be included in the revised TEN-E regulation, writes Dr Graeme Sweeney.

EU methane rules must cover the entire gas supply chain, including imports

A group of environmental organisations and global energy companies, including Shell, have called for mandatory EU rules on methane encompassing the entire gas value chain, including imports from abroad, writes Maarten Wetselaar.

Carbon market largely unaffected by EU border levy, think tanks say

Over half of the heavily criticised free allowances, which allow certain EU companies to emit CO2 without paying, will remain unchanged under current plans for the tool designed to replace them, according to climate think-tanks.

EU industry shuns carbon border levy, calls for export rebates

European industries covered by the EU's future carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) have expressed doubts about the proposal, tabled last week. In addition to border measures, they are calling for an export rebate scheme to help green EU products compete on global markets.

EU’s green hydrogen plans hailed as ‘true game-changer’ by industry

The European Commission boosted regulatory support for green hydrogen in its proposed overhaul of climate legislation published last week, with the renewable hydrogen coalition calling it "a true game changer" for the nascent EU industry.

Carbon market overhaul shifts EU’s climate policy focus on industry, fairness

With its proposed reform of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS), the European Commission is bringing carbon pricing policies to new areas such as shipping, road transport, and buildings. However, it is the fate of industry and ordinary people that is getting all the political attention.

Europe’s hydrogen split: blue vs green and north vs south

The only element keeping blue hydrogen projects alive are subsidies and as green hydrogen declines in cost more government subsidies will be needed. This might be good for Shell and Exxon but is unlikely to be popular with voters, writes Mike Parr.

EU climate targets are undermined by ETS subsidies. They must end

Some industry groups have called to maintain free CO2 allowances in addition to the upcoming carbon border levy. Their addiction to subsidies must be brought to an end, otherwise Europe risks triggering a trade war that would also undermine the EU's climate leadership, write Connie Hedegaard and Pascal Lamy.

Glass packaging industry goes electric, adding to growing demand for renewable power

Unlike the steel and cement industry, the glass sector has a clear path towards decarbonising its processes: electrification. Yet renewable electricity is scarcer than the industry would like, raising concerns about its ability to meet EU climate goals.

German hydrogen strategy under fire for sidestepping gas

The German hydrogen strategy, which inspired the EU's own hydrogen roadmap, has come under fire domestically for placing too much emphasis on “green” hydrogen and endangering the country's industrial decarbonisation process.

BASF starts building its own offshore wind farms

The world’s largest chemicals company, Germany's BASF, has forged partnerships with energy groups Vattenfall and RWE to build its own offshore wind farms in a bid to secure sufficient amounts of renewable energy for its chemical plants in Northern Europe. 

Decarbonising natural gas requires regulatory reform

The EU’s upcoming hydrogen and gas market decarbonisation package needs to address an array of key questions, including redirecting subsidies away from fossil fuels towards cleaner and renewable gases, argue scholars from the Stockholm Environment Institute.

The EU’s industrial strategy needs more action on climate

A change of attitude is needed if the EU is to hit its Green Deal goals, argue Henrike Hahn, Rosa D’Amato, Damien Carême, and Ignazio Corrao, who say the European Commission must get its priorities in order and accept its climate responsibilities, rather than delegate strategic choices to industries and companies themselves.

‘Hydrogen valley’ projects sprout up across Europe

Projects to create a full hydrogen value chain combining production, infrastructure and use all in one region are sprouting up across Europe, but more needs to be done to accelerate their development, according to supporters.

Portugal’s Galp moves to green hydrogen at refinery, eyes €1bn investment

Portugal's Galp Energia plans to install a 100-megawatt electrolyser to power its refinery in Sines with green hydrogen by 2025, a project which could be expanded to up to 1,000 MW and be worth €1 billion, Chief Executive Andy Brown said on Monday (14 June).

EU countries clash over scale of future hydrogen imports

The EU has historically been a major energy importer, with a majority of its oil and gas coming from Russia or the Middle East. Now, as Europe decarbonises its industry, some countries fear it could increasingly become dependent on imported hydrogen.