Global Attention on our "Hydrogen Playground"

– More than 100 participants from 16 countries have signed up for our “Norwegian hydrogen playground”; the International Conference on Maritime Hydrogen and Marine Energy says our colleague Trond Strømgren in Florø.

The ocean industries are developing rapidly to serve increasing global demand for food, energy and minerals. Marine renewable energy is one of the two focus areas at our upcoming conference.

Global Attention

So far delegates from USA, Canada, Japan, India, Sri Lanka and coutries across Europe have signed up for the conference. Last year 170 persons from 15 countries met in Florø for presentations, discussions, networking and workshops. See a 2-minute film from that conference. – It looks like this years conference is going to be even more popular with so many already signed up, says Trond Strømgren, Ocean Technology Innovator at GCE Ocean Technology.

International Presenters

Presenters will talk about global marine renewable energy projects around the world, offshore renewable energy systems in the Australian Blue Economy, marine energy projects in USA among other things. Also, a number of tidal and wave power projects will be presented, amongst them Wello, Tidal Sails and Tidetec. See full programme.

Hydrogen as Energy Storage

The maritime sector sees lots of ongoing and upcoming projects involving hydrogen, like hydrogen from offshore wind stored in tanks on the seabed, hydrogen energy systems for ship propulsion, offshore hydrogen refuelling stations and use of hydrogen to reduce emission from a variety of sea-based activity. In total 16 presentations will be focusing on maritime hydrogen technology and use.

The Norwegian Hydrogen Playground

As the Florø conference gathers professionals from all over the world, different players have chosen to arrange events in conjunction with the conference. IEA (International Energy Agency) have a two-day workshop for the HIA (Hydrogen Implementation Agreement) Task 39 Group. – We find it very inspiring to run our workshop in Florø this time and are looking forward to networking with leading experts outside our group, says professor Ingrid Schjølberg, Director at NTNU Oceans and leader of IEA-HIA Task 39.

The North Atlantic Hydrogen Learning Network have laid one of their two annual meetings to Florø. This network consists of players from Canada, Iceland, Faroe Islands, Scotland and Norway. – I am eager to meet skilled hydrogen dedicated individuals in Florø and discuss ongoing projects, challenges and possibilities for the future, says Jón Björn Skúlason, hydrogen veteran and General Manager at Icelandic New Energy Ltd.

The IFE hosted 260 MNOK research program MoZEES (Mobility Zero Emisson Energy Systems) will also arrange a workshop just after the conference. Leading Norwegian and international researchers and industrial players are partners in the program.

The Oceans in Focus

NTNU Oceans coordinator Maria Azucena Gutierrez Gonzalez is an expert on an interdisciplinary approach to ocean research. She will give the conference opening speech titled; Climate Change: Today’s most important variable on Maritime Businesses. Maria will define the need for increased technology development based on inter and transdisciplinary collaboration.

As the oceans cover 71 per cent of the globe and knowing that these huge blue regions will see more activity in the years to come, the international conference in Norway sets the agenda for increased international collaboration within important topics and the urge for the industry to set their activities under the premises of sustainability.

Read the full programme and register for the conference.