The Brittany Region is making strides towards a sustainable future with its commitment to the Breton roadmap for the deployment of renewable hydrogen, a plan aiming to establish 8 local loops for hydrogen utilization by 2030.
As part of this comprehensive strategy, the Brittany Region has initiated a pioneering project centered on the exploration of alternative fuel options, notably hydrogen and ammonia.
The hydrogen study seeks to identify renewable hydrogen loops and associated logistics chains within port environments, with a focus extending up to the year 2050. These comprehensive investigations aim to define the energy requirements and necessary infrastructure for the deployment of these hydrogen loops, evaluating and considering their viability from a technical, economic, financial, and regulatory perspective.
The ports of Brest and Saint-Malo serve as focal points for these studies, each with their unique characteristics and roles in the regional maritime ecosystem, facilitating a diverse range of uses that will be identified and optimized through these research endeavors. They have joint trade, shipbuilding and repair and passenger transport, but differ in the presence of ferries in Saint-Malo and for Brest heavy industry, as well as container traffic.
Concurrently, a focused study on the application of ammonia in maritime transport is being conducted at the port of Brest. The study aims to enhance the understanding of the environmental, technical, economic, and regulatory constraints associated with this emerging technology, highlighting its crucial role in the energy transition for maritime applications. The ultimate goal is to define an ammonia supply chain derived from renewable hydrogen and establish its seamless integration within the port environment.
Looking ahead, the Brittany Region is set to initiate a series of pivotal events, including the launch of extensive studies led by two selected groups in response to recent invitations to tender. Additionally, the Region will convene the port community in late November 2023, fostering collaborative efforts to identify current and future needs that will serve as the cornerstone for the development of sustainable port solutions.
These findings will not only serve as a point of reference for the European project REDII Ports but will also significantly influence the strategies and operations of key stakeholders, including the Portu Carrier Company of Brittany and EDEIS, the concessionaires of the ports of Brest and Saint-Malo.
For more information and updates on the project, please visit: https://ports.bretagne.bzh/actualites/un-projet-europeen-sur-letude-de-carburants-alternatifs-dans-les-ports-de-saint-malo-et-brest/