The HYDEA Project Receives the 2024 Atlantic Project Award in Bordeaux

The European project HYDEA was recognized today in Bordeaux during a ceremony at the 11th Atlantic Stakeholder Platform Conference, receiving the 2024 Atlantic Project Award in the category of Atlantic Ports and Blue Economy. These awards celebrate successful initiatives and significant achievements that contribute to the implementation of the Atlantic Action Plan 2.0. Organized by the Atlantic Strategy Committee with the support of the Atlantic Assistance Mechanism, the awards highlight projects carried out in the EU member states of the Atlantic Action Plan in recent years. They showcase success stories, best practices, and partnership models that could be expanded regionally, nationally, across Europe, or internationally while promoting the key priorities of the Atlantic Strategy.

The HYDEA project consortium, funded by the Interreg Atlantic Area 2021-2027 program, brings together entities from Spain, France, Portugal, and Ireland under the leadership of the EnergyLab Technology Center. The consortium includes active participation from four ports, two universities, and three companies:

• Port Authority of Vigo
• Port Authority of Seville
• Société Portuaire Brest Bretagne
• Administração dos Portos do Douro, Leixões e Viana do Castelo
• France Energies Marines
• National University of Ireland, Galway
• University of Porto
• Hive Hydrogen
• Évolution Synergétique Automotive S.L.

Objectives of HYDEA

The primary goal of HYDEA is to evaluate, develop, and promote the use of green hydrogen technologies derived from renewable energy sources (e.g., marine energy) in Atlantic Area ports. This goal is structured around several specific objectives aimed at addressing key challenges:

• Promoting a clear role for hydrogen in the strategic energy plans of ports.
• Enhancing knowledge about various hydrogen production technologies that are feasible for port applications.
• Implementing technological demonstrators to attract investors to viable business models.

Key Achievements in the First Year

During its first year of implementation, HYDEA has achieved several milestones:

• Creation of an interactive map highlighting key hydrogen initiatives in Atlantic Area ports, providing a comprehensive overview of the role ports are playing in the hydrogen economy and showcasing ongoing project models.
• Identification of applications, bottlenecks, and opportunities for hydrogen in the ports of Brest, Leixões, Vigo, Seville, Bilbao, Gijón, and Galway.
• Organization of international discussions on safety and security issues during the Sea Tech Week held in October in Brest, France.

Future Outlook

HYDEA paves the way for accelerating the development and deployment of green hydrogen technologies as an alternative energy source for various fleets and vehicles. This marks a significant step forward in the research, development, and implementation of alternatives to current energy sources.

Green hydrogen, derived from renewable energy sources with zero CO2 emissions, is a clean, sustainable fuel with zero pollution, making it a key driver for the decarbonization of society, particularly in ports.