Recap Summit 2020

It was a huge production, European Industry & Energy Summit, early December 2020. Two days of broadcasting from four different locations. More than twenty hours of broadcasts. Perhaps EIES2020 was therefore an imprint of the total energy transition in industry. An enormous complex of processes that together must initiate a massive system change. We can’t stop talking about it. Here is a brief look back at the four talk shows at the Summit.

Opening talk show: Europe

Covid-19 strengthens the Green Deal plans of the European Union’, said Diederik Samsom during the opening talk show of the European Industry & Energy Summit. According to the cabinet member of European Commissioner Frans Timmermans, there is more public money than ever available to shape the energy transition. Meanwhile, energy companies like RWE and chemical companies like Covestro are already shaping the transition to a carbon-free economy.

‘This time European politicians will not go for the easy solution, but for what is needed’ – Diederik Samsom about the European Green Deal

Next steps in Hydrogen

There are already many big plans in the field of green hydrogen, but hardly any have been signed. In the talk show ‘Next steps in hydrogen’ there was a detailed discussion about the steps that are needed now in order to make giant strides in the future. In the talk show, an interesting pitch was given about metal fuels. After all, metal powders also offer interesting possibilities for energy storage.

‘A joint approach makes everyone stronger, certainly also in the field of technology development’ – Lars Röntzsch, Fraunhofer Institute

Innovation

If we want to reach the global climate targets, innovation seems to be the magic word. And excluding them in advance does not seem wise. If only because more solutions are needed. Our energy system will have to decarbonise more and more, while important materials require recarbonisation. The talk show on innovation provided an interesting discussion on terms and the underlying developments.

‘What decarbonisation is to the energy sector, renewable carbon is to the world of materials’ – Michael Carus, Nova Institute

System integration


With an increasing share of renewable intermittent power, the worlds of energy and chemistry are integrating. A good example of this is the collaboration between Yara and Orsted. Grey hydrogen is currently still being used for the production of ammonia, but this is slowly making way for green alternatives. To make that possible, however, substantial investments are needed in production systems (electrolyzers), infrastructure and storage of hydrogen.

‘To become competitive, scale is important. That’s why we have to work together in the transition’ – Jacky de Letter, Yara