Hydrogen Industrial Inland Valley
The HI2 Valley project will establish a large-scale renewable hydrogen (H2) economy in the Austrian industrial regions of Upper Austria, Styria and Carinthia, directly contributing to the goals outlined in the European Green Deal, REPower EU and Hydrogen Strategy. The project will achieve this by decarbonising key sectors through H2, drastically reducing emissions in the steel, chemical, and cement industries as well as in energy and mobility via displacement of fossil fuels – including reducing the reliance on natural gas which Austria overwhelmingly imports from Russia. With 13,000 tons of green hydrogen being needed in the regions by 2028, over 10,000 tpy of green hydrogen will be produced within this HI2 Valley. By introducing strategically placed, decentralised H2 production facilities, the project will strengthen the country’s energy resilience and flexibility and create a robust domestic market for green H2. The HI2 Valley will play a crucial role in bridging the gap between Southern and Eastern European hydrogen supply corridors. Being embedded on the European Hydrogen Backbone and TEN-T network and future pipeline connections (PCIs) with Southern Europe and North Africa, the HI2 Valley will seamlessly connect Austria’s multi-user H2 ecosystem with neighbouring countries like Germany, Italy and Slovakia, fostering a truly interconnected Central European hydrogen network. This role model helps to secure industrial jobs, and through standardization and integration brings costs of hydrogen down, creating a green industrial future for Europe. Going beyond its immediate neighbours, the HI2 Valley will also foster knowledge sharing and wider adoption of green hydrogen through the active collaboration with five other emerging Hydrogen Valleys in Eastern Europe in Poland, Romania, Hungary, Latvia and the Czech Republic.
PROJECT FUNDED BY:
Horizon Europe
PROJECT DURATION:
January 1st, 2025 – December 31st, 2031
PROJECT BUDGET:
Total: 19 996 861.20 EUR
RTU: 68 562.50 EUR
SCIENTIFIC LEADER OF THE PROJECT:
Jūlija Gušča
PUBLISHED:
25.01.2025.
PROJECT PARTNERS:
WIVA P&G, Austria
Advanced Bioenergy Lab eGen, Austria
AC Styria Mobilitatscluster GMBH, Austria
AGGM Austrian Gas Grid Management AG, Austria
Astra Biowarme GmbH, Austria
AVL List GmbH, Austria
Bacher Touristik GmbH., Austria
BEST – Bioenergy and Sustainable Technologies GmbH, Austria
Business Upper Austria – OÖ Wirtschaftsagentur GmbH, Austria
Donau Chemie Aktiengesellschaft, Austria
Energie Steiermark AG, Austria
Energieinstitut an der Johannes Kepler Universität Linz Verein, Austria
Energienetze Steiermark GmbH, Austria
Fischer Edelstahlrohre Austria GMBH, Austria
Fondazione Bruno Kessler, Italy
Green Tech Valley Cluster GmbH, Austria
HyCentA Research GmbH, Austria
HyEnergy Consultancy Limited, United Kingdom
IKEA Möbelvertrieb OHG, Austria
InterCal Austria GmbH, Austria
International Cleantech Network F.m.b.a, Denmark
K1-MET GmbH, Austria,
KELAG-Kärntner Elektrizitäts-Aktiengesellschaft, Austria
Kärntner Flughafen Betriebsgesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung, Austria
Knauf Insulation GMBH, Asutria
KNG-Kärnten Netz GmbH, Austria
LINZ STROM GAS WÄRME GmbH für Energiedienstleistungen und Telekommunikation, Austria
Mattersdorfer Handels und Transport GmbH, Austria
Asociaţia “Cluster” pentru Promovarea Afacerilor Specializate în Ecotehnologii şi Surse Alternative de Energie (Regiunea Sud-Est şi Regiunea Bucureşti-Ilfov), Romania
Mint Hydrogen GmbH, Austria
Pro Danube Management GmbH, Austria
RAG Austria AG, Austria
RHI Magnesita GmbH, Austria
Riga Technical University, Latvia
Podkarpacka Dolina Wodorowa, Poland
Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands
Energie Graz GmbH & Co KG, Austria
Wietersdorfer Alpacem GmbH, Austria
ZenLab računalniške storitve in svetovanje d.o.o., Slovenia
Energie AG Oberösterreich Erzeugung GmbH, Austria
Hospodarska a socialni rada Usteckeho kraje, z.s., Czech Republic
Senergy Elemző és Kutató Nonprofit Korlátolt Felelősségű Társaság, Hungary
Gasunie Infrastruktur AG, Switzerland
AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, Austria
Association Marocaine pour l’hydrogène et le développement durable, Morocco
Evonik Peroxid GmbH, Austria
Treibacher Industrie AG, Austria
Graz University of Technology, Austria
