Together with the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce (IGCC), the Indo-German Energy Forum Support Office (IGEF-SO) organised an Indian business delegation to Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany from 19 to 25 November 2023 on the topic of green hydrogen. The tour featured a visit to the European Hydrogen Week, which took place from 20 to 24 November 2023 in Brussels.  

On the first day of the trip in Brussels, the delegation visited sites related to hydrogen and gained insights into the technical aspects of electrolysers. Afterwards, the Indian delegation attended the European Hydrogen Week where they were welcomed by Ms. Maria Assumpció Rojo Torrent, a representative from Hydrogen Europe. Additionally, the group received a guided tour of exhibitors and technology providers in the upcoming hydrogen economy, including, among many others, Thyssenkrupp Nucera AG, Bosch GmbH, Hydrogenious LOHC Technologies GmbH, Ostermeier H2ydrogen Solutions GmbH, Poppe + Potthoff, Heraeus Holding GmbH, and Uniper. The visit was filled with insightful exchanges and demonstrations at the exhibition, enabling the delegation to network with experts from companies with a special interest in India. It provided them with an opportunity to engage in discussions about their work in the field of hydrogen and explore potential avenues for future collaboration and exchange among the respective companies. On the following day of the European Hydrogen Week, the delegation actively participated in the EU-India exchange on Green Hydrogen with EU stakeholders. Engaging discussions were held with Dr. Ruud Kempener, Member of the Cabinet of Ms. Kadri Simson, European Commissioner for Energy, and Dr. Prasad Chaphekar, Deputy Secretary, Hydrogen Division, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. The discussions revolved around topics such as green fertiliser, hydrogen valleys, green steel, and green ammonia for shipping. 

With the aim of bringing together high-level representatives of Indian project developers with potential customers from Germany, a closed-door Indo-German Green Hydrogen Matchmaking event was held for large-scale German off-takers and Indian producers of green hydrogen and its derivatives on the sidelines of the European Hydrogen Week. This event was organized by the Embassy of India, Berlin, and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK). 

In Rotterdam, the delegates gained a first-hand impression of green hydrogen import infrastructure developments in Europe. Mr. Han Feenstra, Senior Policy Officer at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy from the Government of Netherlands and Mr. Mark-Simon Benjamins, Business Manager at the Port of Rotterdam, spoke on the Dutch Green Hydrogen Strategy and the hydrogen developments at the Port. The subsequent tour around the Port of Rotterdam included stops at ammonia terminals of Koole, OCI and Gunvor, a visit to an offshore-wind transformer station for green hydrogen production and a stop at the “Conversion Park” development site including electrolyser projects by Shell, BP and Air Liquide. The tour ended with an impression of SIF Offshore wind foundation manufacturing and storage site with impression on GE Haliade-X 14 MW wind turbine. 

The last destination of the trip was the Rhine-Ruhr-Area, where the delegation engaged in various site visits. In Duisburg, the group visited the steel industry company Hüttenwerken Krupp Mannesmann (HKM), contributing to approximately 11% of Germany's steel production. Accompanied by Mr. Gunther Schmucker and Mr. Marten Sprecher, representatives of HKM, the group gained insight into carbon-free and hydrogen-based steel production while also experiencing the operation of a steel mill, a coke plant, two blast furnaces, a power plant, and a sinter plant. 

The Indian delegation also visited the Port of Duisburg, the world's largest inland port and a crucial European logistics center, accompanied by Mr. Johannes Eng, Project Manager for Corporate Development & Strategy at the Port of Duisburg. The RH2INE initiative, or Rhine Hydrogen Integration Network of Excellence, aims to develop a sustainable H2 infrastructure along waterways from Rotterdam to Genoa.

On the last day of the trip, the delegation had the opportunity to explore the H2-Center in Herten. The Center is a former coal mine where modern systems and components of hydrogen application and technology are developed and tested. Mr. Dieter Kwapis guided the tour and gave interesting insights on electrolysis, methanol fuel cells and more. The trip concluded with a visit to the Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex, a significant former industrial site in the city of Essen. It is considered to be one of the anchor points of the European Route of Industrial Heritage and has been included on the UNESCO World Heritage List due to its architecture and its testament to the development of heavy industry in Europe.

Overall, the tour provided participants with an opportunity to delve into various developments in the green hydrogen sector in Europe and to foster relationships for future networking.