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13 May 2023 | Article

Finland nearly invisible at Europe's largest hydrogen event

Finns and Swedes were almost completely absent from the World Hydrogen Summit 2023, which took place in Rotterdam from 9 to 11 May 2023. Of Finnish companies, only Valmet and Q Power had stands at the trade fair in conjunction with the event. There were no Swedish or Estonian companies on the exhibition side.

Finland nearly invisible at Europe's largest hydrogen event

Photo: booth featuring Spain 

Several countries and regions had their own stands at the exhibition. For example, Australia, Canada and South Africa had very impressive stands at the show. European countries such as Spain, Poland, Denmark, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands had their own stands at the event to raise awareness of their region's opportunities and offerings to international hydrogen companies. 

 

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Photo: booth featuring South Africa 

 

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Photo: booth featuring Australia 

 

 

The World Hydrogen Summit is currently possibly the most important annual hydrogen event in Europe. The Rotterdam region, which is the location of Europe's largest port, is the most important emerging hydrogen hub in Europe, because a large part of Europe's hydrogen trade passes through it. The region is also a very important hub for the chemical industry. 

The size of the event increased significantly from last year. The number of participants this time was more than double that of a year ago. 

In contrast, many BotH2nia member companies had sent representatives to visit the event this year as regular meeting participants. 

This is how Finns and Swedes commented on their experience at the event in Rotterdam. 

“The World Hydrogen Summit in Rotterdam is one of the most important events in the hydrogen sector. The event has grown significantly in a year," says Ville Kähkönen, Valmet's Flow Control Business Line Director, Renewable Energy and Gases. 

 

“The hydrogen industry is booming,” says Eero Paunonen, CEO of Q Power at the World Hydrogen Summit. Q Power's Power-to-Methane solution is made for efficient production of synthetic fuels. 

 

“Understanding of solid oxide electrolysers and their potential has increased significantly," Hannu Anttila, Sales Director for Elcogen, noted at the event in Rotterdam. Elcogen is a manufacturer of efficient and high-performance fuel cells and electrolysers.  

 

“Nordic hydrogen companies have a lot to offer the world, so they should tell more about themselves at this event in Rotterdam,” says Björn Santana Arvidsson, Executive Vice President of Nordion Energi. Nordion Energi is the transmission system operator (TSO) of the Swedish gas network, owning and operating the country's largest gas distribution network and electricity grid. 

 

“Enough planning has been done, now it's time to act," says Natascha Skog of Hycamite TCD Technologies at the energy event in Rotterdam. Hycamite produces clean hydrogen and clean solid carbon by digesting methane through methane pyrolysis. 

 

“People from all over the world are now discussing hydrogen technologies and business at this conference," says Cecilia Wallmark, CH2ESS Chief Operating Officer. CH2ESS is a research and knowledge initiative at Luleå University of Technology focusing on the use of hydrogen in industrial processes and energy systems in close cooperation with Swedish industry.  

 

“A lot of business is done here at the World Hydrogen Summit,” says Lena Segerlund, CEO of Invest in Norrbotten. Invest in Norrbotten develops and refines business opportunities in the natural resources of northern Sweden. 

 

Johan Ahlström, CEO of Ionautics, compares this year's event to last year's and sees that the event has more than doubled in size. Ionautics aims to provide sustainable solutions for advanced materials through its expertise in High Power Impulse Magnetic Sputtering (HiPIMS).