Gastech: Hydrogen – from strategy to delivery; 2022 conference programme announced
Gastech and Energy Connects have recently hosted a webinar, which brought together senior executives from Baker Hughes, Siemens Energy, Technip Energies and McKinsey & Company to discuss the key challenges shaping the hydrogen (H2) industry, according to Sarah Howell, Vice President, Gastech. Attended by over 1000 executives and professionals from around the world, the panel surveyed the changes taking place in the industry, and the opportunities on the horizon.
Over the last six months, investment in hydrogen has taken off. According to moderator Bernd Heid, Senior Partner at McKinsey, since last year’s COP26 the number of hydrogen investments has increased by 50%, reaching US$160 billion worldwide. With more than 520 projects in train, and roughly half of these at a mature stage, momentum appears to have swung behind hydrogen as a major technology in the global energy transition.
As the panellists outlined, one of the key obstacles for hydrogen has been affordability – something which has become less of an issue over time due to the increase in cheap renewable power and carbon capture projects. As a result, we could well see hydrogen become competitive with other renewable technologies, and even conventional fuels, Howell said.
Another major topic of discussion was where these hydrogen projects are developing. Dr Stefan Diezinger, Head of Sustainable Energy Systems at Siemens Energy, suggested that hydrocarbon economies will be in a strong position to ramp up hydrogen production because they already have the abundance of energy required to quickly do so. Australia, India, and the MENA region were all touted as future hydrogen hubs.
Alessandro Bresciani, Senior Vice President, Climate Technology Solutions at Baker Hughes, argued that we may also see the approach to hydrogen development change. He suggested that Europe may increasingly act collectively as a single hydrogen terminal to reduce its infrastructure and production costs, something already in development under the new EU Energy Platform.
The webinar showed that while there is plenty of debate around how the global hydrogen market will develop, the industry is taking hydrogen more seriously than ever before, Howell furthered.
The future of hydrogen will be a major component of this year’s Gastech Hydrogen event in Milan, from 5 to 8 September. Bringing together policy makers, and energy leaders from around the world, Gastech will be the major forum for the industry to take stock of the changes made so far and set out a roadmap for hydrogen’s development.
Meanwhile, Gastech has announced the launch of its 2022 conference programme, featuring keynote speakers, including, Christiana Figueres, former Secretary General of the UNFCCC; Sigmar Gabriel, former Vice-Chancellor and Foreign Minister of Germany; and Dan Brouillette, President, Sempra Infrastructure and Former US Secretary of Energy.
Gastech, with co-hosts Baker Hughes, Chevron, Eni, and Tellurian, has announced the conference programme for its 50-year anniversary edition, Gastech 2022 in Milan, the largest integrated industry event for the global natural gas, LNG, hydrogen, and low-carbon solutions sector.
Taking place in the Fiera Milano exhibition centre from 5-8 September 2022, Gastech will be hosted under the patronage of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Ecological Transition, the Italian Trade Agency, and Assorisorse – the Italian Sustainable Energy & Resources Industry Association.
2022 has become a historic year for the gas sector. The crisis in Ukraine has set off a chain of events that could permanently reshape global energy markets. A global supply crisis, and unprecedented market volatility is transforming the status quo, rerouting international supply chains, and overturning decades of international energy policy.
As the industry faces the critical challenges of decarbonisation, energy security, and energy supply, more than ever before Gastech’s 2022 conference will be the forum for the industry to come together and discuss these changes and chart a roadmap for the future.
Occurring just ahead of COP27 in Egypt, Gastech will also be a vital platform for the industry to help set the global net zero agenda, enabling energy leaders to highlight the central role of natural gas, LNG, hydrogen, and low-carbon solutions in achieving a ‘just’ energy transition.
Gastech’s strategic conference will feature influential keynote speakers from the highest levels of industry and government, including: Christiana Figueres, former Secretary General of the UNFCCC; Sigmar Gabriel, former Vice-Chancellor and Foreign Minister of Germany; and Dan Brouillette, President, Sempra Infrastructure and Former US Secretary of Energy; Lorenzo Simonelli, Chairman and CEO, Baker Hughes; Professor Dr Klaus-Dieter Maubach, CEO of Uniper SE; and Meg O’Neill, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Woodside Energy Ltd.
From balancing energy security imperatives with longer-term climate goals, to creating a sustainable hydrogen market, Gastech’s strategic conference programme will feature the leading companies in the sector to discuss the core issues driving the industry.
Christopher Hudson, President of Global Energy, dmg events, commented: “With energy prices putting a real squeeze on consumers in Europe and across the world, the global gas and LNG sectors have a crucial role in alleviating supply shortages and energy security challenges. This year’s Gastech will be the major platform for the industry to navigate a transformed energy map in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and to find urgent solutions to the global energy crisis ahead of the winter heating season.
As COP27 approaches, questions of how to secure sustainable energy supplies and how the gas sector can make a positive, proactive contribution to the global fight against climate change will also take centre stage at Gastech 2022. Positioned at the heart of Europe, overlooking the Mediterranean, Italy will be the perfect host for this forum.”
Lorenzo Simonelli, Chairman and CEO, Baker Hughes, said: “As an energy technology company with a long history in Italy, we are delighted to be one of the co-hosts of the 50th anniversary edition of Gastech, this year in Milan. This is a critical time for the global energy sector and Gastech has always been a valuable platform to engage in meaningful dialogue with a variety of different stakeholders throughout the energy industry. The increased importance of issues like energy security, sustainability, and the global supply chain mean that Gastech now has an even more significant role to play in facilitating critical discussions around the energy mix and the industrial sector.”
“Thus, we look forward to seeing leaders and experts from across the sector come together at what will be a hugely important event for the industry, ” he added.
To find out more about the conference, visit our website at: https://www.gastechevent.com/the-gastech-exhibition/gastech-hydrogen/
#Gastech, Fiera Milano, Italy 5-8 September 2022
