Today (24 November) marks the end of the 2023 European Hydrogen Week, where stakeholders from up and down the hydrogen value chain came together for four days of exhibitions, panels, and networking.

More than 200 exhibitors, including from representatives of international partners Brazil and South Africa, populated the exhibition floor with their innovative products, projects, and plans. More than 200 speakers were involved in bringing lively and fascinating discussions across 27 sessions between the High-Level Policy Conference and B2B forum.

The week was bookended by two major announcements for the hydrogen sector: on Monday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen informed attendees that the second European Hydrogen Bank auction would take place in Spring 2024 with a budget of €2.2 billion. This figure is nearly triple the budget of the pilot auction and meets the €3 billion commitment first made by Predident von der Leyen in her 2022 State of the Union address.

Speaking of the pilot auction, former Dutch foreign minister and current European Commissioner for Climate Action Wopke Hoekstra arrived at the event on Thursday to officially launch the €800m competition. Bidding is now open and a decision on winning projects is expected by April 2024.

Meanwhile, President von der Leyen had one more announcement to make: an agreement with the Brazilian State of Piaui to support the construction of a 10GW green hydrogen facility, part of a €2 billion Global Gateway investment in the hydrogen value chain in Brazil.

“It has been another fantastic European Hydrogen Week and we would like to thank all of our sponsors, exhibitors, speakers, and visitors for making it so successful. We have been able to engage in important dialogue, share knowledge and visions of the future, and we have also heard huge announcements that will reverberate across the hydrogen sector,” said Jorgo Chatzimarkakis, CEO of Hydrogen Europe.

For their valuable participation, we would also like to thank An Stroobandt – Deputy Head of Cabinet of Federal Minister of Energy, Belgium, Terje Aasland – Minister of Petroleum and Energy, Norway, Gillian Martin – MSP, Minister of Energy, Scotland, Tarik Hamane, CEO of the Moroccan Agency for Sustainable Development, Rafael Tajra Fonteles, Governor of the State of Piauí, Brazil, Zeid Al Ghareeb – Director-General of the National Program for the Circular Carbon Economy, Ministry of Energy of The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Bonginkosi Nzimande – Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, South Africa.

Please save the date for the next European Hydrogen Week, which will take place from the 18th to the 22nd of November in 2024!

Secure your space at the 2024 Hydrogen Week