EDP Energias de Portugal S A : joins the 'Choose Renewable Hydrogen' initiative to defend an European commitment on green hydrogen

EDP joins the 'Choose Renewable Hydrogen' initiative to defend an European commitment on green hydrogen

Monday25, May 2020

António Mexia is one of the signatories of an open letter to the Vice-President of the European Commission, Frans Timmermans, which highlights hydrogen as the most economical and sustainable solution for decarbonization.

EDP is one of the eight large companies in the energy sector to join the 'Choose Renewable Hydrogen' campaign to appeal to investment in green hydrogen by the European Commission.

As part of the initiative's launch, EDP's CEO, António Mexia, signs - together with the presidents of other European energy companies - an open letter to the Vice-President of the European Commission, Frans Timmermans, which stresses the potential of renewable energies that must be used to decarbonize Europe, in addition to referring to the central role of hydrogen as a more economical and sustainable solution in the process of global energy transformation.

Hydrogen produced by electrolysis and powered by 100% renewable electricity, generated from solar energy and wind, does not produce any greenhouse gas emissions and will allow the European Union to reduce its energy dependence on other countries. In sectors such as the chemical industry, some heavy industry, long-haul road transport, maritime transport and aviation, where complete electrification can be very expensive or have other technical challenges, renewable hydrogen may come to play a central role.

In the letter addressed to the European leaders, the initiative's subscribers underline that, in view of the health crisis caused by Covid-19 and its economic consequences, Europe must prioritize the most efficient, sustainable and cost-effective ways to decarbonize the economy and create jobs.

Being a leading company in the energy transition, EDP was one of the first companies to announce its commitment to hydrogen in Portugal through the development of a pilot project at the Ribatejo Combined Cycle Plant, which officially started in April, and by integrating the consortium for an industrial project in Sines.

Eight companies in the energy sector are part of the 'Choose Renewable Hydrogen' initiative: Akuo Energy, BayWa r.e., EDP, Enel, Iberdrola, MHI Vestas, Ørsted, and Vestas, as well as two associations representative of the wind and solar industry: SolarPower Europe and WindEurope.