Shell Gas & Power Developments B.V. and Uniper Hydrogen GmbH have signed a memorandum of understanding (“MoU”) to explore accelerating the development of a hydrogen economy in Europe. Under the MoU they intend to find joint opportunities to couple industrial and mobility demand with hydrogen supply, production and storage.

The companies will begin by assessing the opportunity to develop potential synergies to accelerate existing projects in Germany, the Netherlands and potentially other European countries. Taking a full value chain approach, Shell and Uniper will work backwards from customer demand to identify key opportunities to develop the foundation of a new hydrogen economy in Europe.

Exploring future options including the necessary infrastructure for large-scale transport of hydrogen and CO₂ from the ports of Rotterdam and Wilhelmshaven to North Rhine Westphalia (NRW)—the industrial heartland of Germany—will be at the center of the announced collaboration.

Among the projects considered will be Shell’s Rheinland transformation where work is ongoing to transform an existing refining asset into a state-of-the-art energy and chemicals park; Shell officially opened a 10MW PEM electrolyser, the largest of its kind in Europe, on 2 July and is working with partners to expand the capacity to 100MW. (Earlier post.)

Uniper will further explore the supply of hydrogen from the existing Uniper production sites at Rotterdam and Wilhelmshaven to the Shell Energy and Chemicals Park Rheinlandlocations at Wesseling and Godorf. In addition, Uniper intends to connect its power plant in Gelsenkirchen Scholven as well as some large-scale customers with its coastal hydrogen production plants.

The MoU reflects Shell’s Powering Progress strategy and target to reach net zero emissions by 2050, in step with society, and will support Uniper’s ambition to become carbon-neutral in Europe by 2035.