At a time when the number of hydrogen conferences is soaring, it’s not easy for professionals to make a choice. The Hydrogen Business for Climate Forum deals the issues with the right experts, even if it means setting up XXL tables.

It’s a bit of a trademark. Unlike most other events, which feature three or four speakers at their panels, we can see more of them at Belfort. And there will even be more than a dozen speakers at the opening plenary session. The fact is that the forum is intended to be international. And if we’re going to discuss Europe’s hydrogen strategy (and the position to take in the face of competition from the United States and China), we might as well do it with a wide variety of players. That’s why organisations (Hydrogen Europe, Gas for Climate, France Hydrogène), manufacturers (McPhy, John Cockerill, Plastic Omnium) and representatives from several countries (Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Ukraine, Egypt, USA) will be there.

It’s a choice that can be criticised. But it’s a conscious one. Incidentally, Faouzi Annajah, founder and CEO of the young hydrogen-powered car brand Namx, will be speaking from Morocco.

Hydrogen Business For Climate: will hydrogen save the combustion engine?

The 2023 edition will be dealing with the extension of combustion engines with e-fuels and hydrogen combustion, low-cost hydrogen production (by comparing electrolysis with other methods that consume less electricity and seemingly cheaper), natural hydrogen (with leading experts: Isabelle Moretti from the University of Pau, Nicolas Pélissier from 45.8 Energy, Viacheslav Zgonnik from NH2E, Olivier Lhote from Engie and Mikaa Blugeon-Mered from Sciences Po/HEC Paris), the applications of liquid hydrogen (including heavy mobility and motor racing), but also the telescoping of technologies in the hydrogen field (the final panel will summarise the event).

McPhy, GenHy and Inocel, who will be launching gigafactories in the region, will also be taking the floor. However, the Hydrogen Business for Climate forum is not a regional event dealing with local issues. It is intended to be a European event, given its proximity to Switzerland and Germany, with an international focus on the key topics of the moment.

The Hydrogen Business For Climate forum will take place today and tomorrow, 3 and 4 October 2023, in Belfort.