Hyvolution: Industry partners and government representatives underline importance of a cross-border hydrogen economy

Cross-border hydrogen economic area Saarland – Grand Est – Luxembourg

Hydrogen will become an integral part of the future energy supply. The GRH stands for a common hydrogen economic area between Germany, France and Luxembourg and is a concrete example of cross-border cooperation in the energy sector, as demanded by politicians, especially in view of current developments.

Within the framework of Hyvolution, the importance of the projects of the GRH members for the hydrogen ramp-up in the border triangle became clear: only through their interlinking can a cross-border hydrogen ramp-up and the energy transformation in the areas of industry and mobility succeed.

Industry and politics closing ranks for a cross-border hydrogen economy

Jürgen Barke, Saarland Minister for Economic Innovation, Digital Affairs and Energy, Franck Leroy, President of the Grand Est Region, and Pit Losch, Attaché for Hydrogen Projects at the Luxembourg Ministry of Energy and Spatial Development, discussed with the members of the GRH the next steps necessary for a genuine cross-border hydrogen economy to emerge in the three-country region of Saarland – Grand Est – Luxembourg.

In doing so, they emphasised the role of the GRH as a nucleus for a hydrogen economy in the heart of Europe, which will enable future European cooperation in the energy sector. The political representatives of the Grande Région agreed that only together can the development of a hydrogen economy in the Grande Région succeed. To this end, they pledged their utmost support for the objective of the Grande Region Hydrogen.

Jürgen Barke, Minister of Economic Affairs and Energy, said: "There is enormous potential for the Greater Region in cross-border cooperation. Especially when it comes to hydrogen, we can master the challenges of our time together. The Grande Region Hydrogen is a prime example of sustainable cooperation in the heart of Europe."

Luxembourg’s Energy Minister Claude Turmes had also sent a message: "It will be crucial to exploit the potential of green hydrogen for decarbonisation in a coordinated way and beyond our national and regional borders. Together, we have the opportunity to benefit from the transit of the largest hydrogen transport axes leading across our region in the heart of the European Union. I would like to congratulate the assembled stakeholders of Grande Region Hydrogen for taking the first steps in realising this vision."

Franck Leroy also welcomed the growing commitment of the Grand Est Region to cross-border hydrogen: "For the Grand Est Region, cross-border cooperation is an opportunity. Our cooperation within the Greater Region enables us to meet the challenges facing us, particularly environmental and industrial ones. For me, the Grande Région Hydrogen is a tool for moving forward together, between territories and with manufacturers.”

Voluntarily committed to the success of a cross-border hydrogen economy

After the politicians of the Greater Region had unanimously expressed their support for the development of a cross-border hydrogen economy, the industrial partners of the Grande Region Hydrogen who were present also sent a clear signal of their desire for cross-border cooperation: they signed a Franco-German-Luxembourgian declaration in which they commit themselves to the development of a cross-border hydrogen economy.

Background: The Grande Region Hydrogen EEIG Association

The European Economic Interest Grouping "Grande Region Hydrogen EEIG" (GRH) pursues the goal of developing a hydrogen economic system in the greater region of Saarland, Grand Est, Luxembourg. It represents the entire value chain of a hydrogen economy and connects hydrogen projects of producers, consumers and infrastructure operators. In this way, it creates the conditions for a sustainable hydrogen economy in the tri-border region and actively contributes to achieving the national and European decarbonisation goals.

Grande Region Hydrogen was founded in August 2021 by the distribution grid operators Creos (Germany), GRTgaz (France), the energy group Encevo (Luxembourg) and the French hydrogen producer H2V. The GRH now includes the following partners: CREOS, ENCEVO S.A., GAZELENERGIE, GRTGAZ, H2V, HDF, RWE GENERATION, SHS STAHL-HOLDING-SAAR, STEAG, VERSO and VILLEROY & BOCH.

The Grande Region Hydrogen wants to grow: it is looking forward to new members whose hydrogen projects can be integrated into the infrastructure of the Grande Region Hydrogen.

Further information on the GRH, the partners and their projects: www.grande-region-hydrogen.eu.