Ambitious Coalition Launches to Enable First Clean Hydrogen Shipment Across Atlantic by 2026 – Transatlantic Clean Hydrogen Trade Coalition.
The Mission Possible Partnership (MPP), RMI, Systemiq, Power2X, and industry leaders have formed a coalition to encourage and enable shipment of the first shipment of clean hydrogen from the United States to Europe by 2026. The Transatlantic Clean Hydrogen Trade Coalition (H2TC) will concentrate on supporting first movers in the US Gulf Coast and Northwestern Europe, with the goal of facilitating trade of more than three million metric tons per year of hydrogen in the form of ammonia and methanol through this corridor by 2030.
The breakthrough effort engages market players from suppliers to offtakers, as well as important market-making entities including major ports and associations in the United States and Europe. Coalition partners include the Center for Houston’s Future, the Port of Corpus Christi, and the Port of Rotterdam. MPP will serve as its Secretariat. The coalition is building membership, and its work has thus far been endorsed by over 20 companies central to the developing hydrogen economy including Ambient Fuels, Apex Clean Energy, Buckeye, BAES Infrastructure, Intersect Power, Linde, LyondellBasell, NextEra Energy, OCI, Shell, STX, Trafigura and Zhero.
The announcement comes close to a year and a half after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent energy crisis, which critically affected European heavy industry. H2TC aims to significantly contribute to the EU’s goal of importing 10 million metric tons per year of renewable hydrogen by 2030.
Clean hydrogen provides a vital substitute for fossil fuels in essential industries such as fertilizer production and steelmaking, and its derivatives are the leading alternative to highly polluting bunker fuel in maritime shipping. Producers from the US Gulf Coast are expected to be among the most cost-competitive clean hydrogen exporters to Europe, given the region’s world-class ports, existing energy infrastructure networks, access to specialized labor, and other strategic advantages.
H2TC will grant members access to in-depth analysis of regulatory and infrastructure requirements, supply and demand matching, and integration with capital markets. Members plan to collaborate closely with US and European governments to help them attain clean energy targets and inform regulatory frameworks to enable trade.
Chad Holliday, Co-Chair of Mission Possible Partnership, said:
H2TC marks an important step to open the gateway for cross-Atlantic shipments of clean hydrogen. The capacity to import relatively cheap clean hydrogen from the US to complement local production will have a direct and significant impact on the European industry’s efforts to deploy clean production processes at scale, including in the fertilizer, steel, and shipping sectors.
“More broadly, it underscores the potential of targeted coalitions to overcome the critical next stage challenges to operationalizing net-zero commitments.”
Jacob Susman, founder and CEO of Ambient Fuels, said:
The US Gulf Coast is at the forefront of the energy transition and is the world’s most attractive market to deliver low-emissions hydrogen.
“The region has the connective tissue in pipelines and salt dome storage, the low-cost renewables, and the know-how to produce, manage and transport molecules needed to deliver hydrogen to the world.”
“Promoting the export of hydrogen derivatives will enable the broader US hydrogen ecosystem to scale up much faster.”
Jamie Cemm, CEO of BAES Infrastructure, said:
We consider the US Gulf Coast a natural home for the development of a clean hydrogen and ammonia production and distribution facility.
“With the ability to leverage the existing infrastructure of our parent company, Buckeye Energy Holdings, in Corpus Christi, we are well placed to provide cost competitive solutions to global hydrogen demands. We look forward to collaborating with our partners in H2TC to make this a reality.”
David Burns, Vice President Clean Energy, Linde, said:
The opportunity to produce affordable clean hydrogen at scale has been enabled by the US Inflation Reduction Act.
“Linde is uniquely positioned with capabilities throughout the hydrogen value chain and an extensive network of hydrogen assets along the US Gulf Coast. We are pleased to leverage these assets and our experience to support the efforts of this Coalition to kickstart a transatlantic clean hydrogen economy between the US and the EU.”
Ross Groffman, vice president of hydrogen development for NextEra Energy Resources, said:
NextEra Energy Resources is honored to be one of the industry leaders that is supporting this effort.
“We are excited and continue to back initiatives that advance the green hydrogen economy.”
Jeff Pollack, Chief Strategy and Sustainability Officer for the Port of Corpus Christi, Texas, said:
This collaboration is the next iteration of our longstanding relationship with the Port of Rotterdam, wherein we’re able to offer end-to-end value to our shared customer base.
“Our ambition is to leverage existing infrastructure and existing commercial connections to create the most efficient path for delivery of US-produced clean hydrogen to European markets.”
Bryan Fisher, managing director of RMI and director of hubs at MPP, said:
The Coalition brings together a group of private and public sector leaders that have the ambition and the capability to make clean hydrogen trade happen this decade.
“We are proud to be a part of this collaboration, bringing energy security and helping the energy transition on both sides of the Atlantic.”
Nico van Dooren, Director of New Business & Portfolio Management at the Port of Rotterdam, said:
Rotterdam is Europe’s main import hub for crude, oil products and coal. We’re rapidly becoming Europe’s hydrogen hub as well.
“For the last three years we’ve been scouting the world for green hydrogen, and Texas is one of the most promising locations to export substantial volumes of this renewable energy to Rotterdam within a few years’ time.”
Eveline Speelman, Partner at Systemiq, said:
The US Gulf Coast is set to become an early and timely source of hydrogen imports for Europe in support of the decarbonization of European industry. Companies from every step of the value chain are joining the H2TC. This shows they are serious about making this happen.
Julien Rolland, Head of Strategic Projects and Investments for Trafigura, said:
We welcome the creation of H2TC to facilitate the shipment of renewable hydrogen-based fuels from producers in the US Gulf Coast to heavy industrial users in Europe by 2026.
“Cost-efficient and safe transport of renewable hydrogen-based fuels will be an important enabler of the energy transition.”
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Ambitious Coalition Launches to Enable First Clean Hydrogen Shipment Across Atlantic by 2026 – Transatlantic Clean Hydrogen Trade Coalition. Source