Achieving the European Green Deal target of becoming the world’s first climate-neutral continent by 2050 will require deep cuts to emissions across all aspects of the economy, including the power generation and heating sector. This, combined with the REPowerEU plans, places hydrogen as a clean energy carrier in a unique position. It can be used in, and thereby couple, all sectors like; power&heat, transport and industry. Hydrogen offers long term storage, it can be transported over large distances and it can be produced and used without, or with very low emissions. A central part of the EU climate strategies is the target of domestic renewable hydrogen production of 10 million tons by 2030, in addition to the same amount imported. Large-scale stationary fuel cells in the MW-range should be able to operate on such industrial quality H2 without repurification. They can offer a low-cost clean alternative for both large scale (peak) power and heat production, as well as for small, medium and large-scale back-up power units for the critical infrastructure, thereby also improving the resilience of the energy system. The aim of CLEANER is to develop and demonstrate for more than 5000 hours a >100 kW PEM fuel cell system operating on industrial quality hydrogen.

Eastern Lights (EL) is the de-risking first step to develop a large-scale CCUS cluster in Eastern Europe. The Holcim Bulgaria plant will be the heart and engine of the cluster development starting with CO2 transport and storage (T&S) demonstration in North West Bulgaria. EL will de-risk the CO2 transport and storage by eliminating the main uncertainties of T&S by industrial demonstration, in-depth studies and stakeholder engagement. By constructing and testing a km long transport pipeline fully integrated into the commercial operating CO2 storage, the key process parameters and technical aspects for a full-scale CCUS complex will be validated. The critical risks of the T&S part will be eliminated by an industrial demonstration and comprehensive set of studies leading to permitting. To minimize the risks, saline aquifers from North West Bulgaria will be used for safe and large capacity CO2 storage close to a major CO2 source and Bulgarian pipeline corridors. Extensive geological, geophysical and testing work will be done to address critical issues as induced seismicity and safe injection over time. By actually constructing a short pipeline, specific issues like land-owner allowances will be addressed and the transport will be made ready for permitting and execution for the entire corridor cross-border cluster connecting members to the CO2 sink. Intensive communication, stakeholder consultation, cluster development and permit preparations will complete the Eastern Lights scope. As such, Eastern Lights shall unlock the CCUS potential in Eastern Europe, Bulgaria in particular and potentially Romania, therewith contributing to the Fit for 55 targets. Demonstrating an economically feasible decarbonizing track for the (cement) industry in Bulgaria, will secure jobs and economic activity in this field. Strong cross-border ties will be demonstrated by using CO2 from Tupras in Turkey (Mof4Air), and more generally contributing the EU goal to reach climate targets.