EHA toured the North of Europe the week of October 15, 2018 following a trail of Power to gas (PtG)events from Madrid to Copenhagen to Groningen. At the 31st Madrid Forum of the European Gas industry the presence of electric TSO’s was noticed.
On October 16  EHA presented at the meeting  European Power to Gas Platform: the platform calls for more grid-integrated full-scale Power-to-Gas demonstration projects. Currently over 45 Power-to-Gas plants have been realized or are about to be commissioned in Europe, all having a strong research and pilot character. EHA referred to the urgency to communicate concrete proposals for PtG action to take on board in the new EU Multi Financial that is currently being prepared  Framework. On October 17-18 the Power to Gas conference took place in Copenhagen.

One day after Bank Ki-moon on October 17 was presented a honorary doctorate at the Uni of Groningen, mentioning there is no plan(et) B with regards to climate change, Plan H was the topic of the Wind meets gas conference.
Shell vice president wind development Dorine Bosman  referred to the need voor smart, scale up system integration and support. Only 10 years ago Shell built its first Windpark in the North Saa now a 700MW.  Would Blue hydrogen be a stepping stone?  Definetely for Steiner Eikaas head of low carbon solutions of Equinor:  45 days one liquid H2 tank created 45 days of carefree travelling for large maritie vessels. Equinor together with Leeds will announce on November 23, 2018  the 85 TWh installation for H2 production to reduce 17/18 Mtons of CO2. There is  1500 TWh of gas in Europe, the equivalent of 10 mln of 129 MW of  battery packs (biggest battery installation to date).
Uni Groningen’s Catrinus Jepma presented the two main questions for the North Sea: is CCS possible? Is H2 production possible? 7 GW up to wind power is being planned by 2030. There are 500 oil and gas platforms for use for CCS and conversion of wind into H2. 1 Mton CO2 reductiion is worth 25 euro (ETS) when sequestrated another € 25+ ….. CCS costs 30 euro plus soem distribution costs so almost breakeven. Most CO2 emissions in Europe occur around the North Sea (ports).
To date € 1000 bln went into greening 57% of electrical power, the recent ICCT report on renewable methane, points to only 12% of green gas in 2050, (Catrinus Jepma puts 2030). According to Eurstat the uptake of gas 2026 was 460bcm (380 Mtsoe)  by 2030 this should be 440 bcm. The question will be how to green 350 bcm till 2030?  CCS in empty gas offshore could provide only 50bcm, the  import of green gas another 75bcm…. so how are we going to green 150 bcm? By power to gas?
Marcel Galjee, Director Energy Nouryon former Akzo Specialty Chemicals spoke about their wind consortium with Google, Philips, DSM and Nouryon. Nouryon is planning a 20 MW electrolyser in Delfzijl and a 100 MW electrolyser project with TATA and Port of Amsterdam Carbon2Chem,  2 MW H2 for fuels with RISE Swedish Energy Agency.
Rob van der Hage, Business Manager Offshore of TenneT, referred to the 180 GW wind power potential in North Sea. Still 10GW could be connected without big cable investment  10 GW.
Ulco Vermeulen member of governing board of Gasunie  referred to the cooperation between Germany Denmark and the Netherlands on a North Sea Wind Power Hub and SPOKE system.
Heinz Uwe Lewe of the North Rhine  – Westphalia Economic and Energy Minsisterium: NRW commissioned LBST to develop a Roadmap for hydrogen in NRW: key mesages: electricity price is cheaper in a hydrogen scenarion. NRW has issued a competition for a Hydrogen region on mobility in NRW.  The  virtual institute on power to gas has mapped regional distribution of transformer stations of min. 1,5 M and with a 5 km radius and proximity to gas grid withing 2,5 km to identify locations for future Power to Gas.
Lukas Lueke of ThysssenKrupp referred to the 600MW electrolyser capcity they could install based on 20M modules. A 100 MW system takes up 3000m2. Their Carbon2Chem project uses valuable gases in the steel plants as basis (CO2, CO etc).
Robbert van de Pluim managing director of HyStock referred to the capacity of their storage capacity of their salt caverns: 1 mln m3,6000 tons H2 equaling 240.000MWh of power. In two weeks the 1MW electrolyser will start operations and H2 will be pumped in the salt cavern at 80bar.

The second day of the conference was dedicated to the BENELUX efforts: NL misitry of Economic Affairs and Climate referred to their focus on bringing the costs down through different programs that would als include an industrial demand working group that will come out with receommendations in November.