Bergen, 18th March 2024
The Norwegian Hydrogen Forum (NHF) and the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association of Singapore (HFCAS) have agreed to strengthen collaboration and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) during a Singaporean delegation visit to Norway.
The MoU shall be a tool for exchange on policies and regulatory frameworks necessary to support the interest and use of hydrogen. It shall further stimulate bilateral collaboration in industry and research, as well as encourage and support a closer hydrogen partnership between the two countries.
Norway and Singapore have established ambitious climate and energy policies to uphold their commitments in the Paris Agreement and seek to become a low-emission society and achieve net zero emissions by 2050, respectively. Hydrogen will play a crucial role in this energy transition, both as an energy carrier, fuel for zero-emission transport and as replacement of fossil sources for industrial purposes.
Singapore has the world’s busiest container transshipment port and is a leading hub for aviation. The island country is central in the development of a global infrastructure for hydrogen and hydrogen-derived fuels such as ammonia. Norway has almost 100 years of experience with industrial hydrogen production and a complete maritime value chain with global footprint. Both countries have invested heavily in hydrogen research, technology and innovation.
"The Singaporean hydrogen strategy aims not only to establish a domestic hydrogen value-chain, but also to drive global development by encouraging innovation, technology partnerships, standardisation, and certification methodologies. As an important enabler for this strategy, HFCAS is a perfect partner for NHF. This agreement will give our two associations a framework for exchange on important topics such as policy initiatives and market drivers and barriers, but we also hope that it will foster concrete collaboration between stakeholders from politics, industry and research and drive the hydrogen momentum further,” says Ingebjørg Telnes Wilhelmsen, Secretary General of the Norwegian Hydrogen Forum.
“With our National Hydrogen Strategy charting the path for Singapore in supporting its decarbonisation plans, this MoU with Norwegian Hydrogen Forum would open the doorways for both countries to promote greater collaboration and partnerships. Norway, having started their hydrogen journey earlier, has all the knowledge and experience that Singapore companies would be able to tap on ranging from technology development, safety standards and competency development. Furthermore, Singapore has emphasised the need for research and development into the hydrogen space and this MoU would encourage greater collaboration between the research institutions to develop solutions,” added Noel Chin, President of the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association of Singapore.
The MoU was facilitated by Innovation Norway, the Norwegian Government’s agency for innovation and development of Norwegian enterprises and industry home and abroad.
About Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association of Singapore
The Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association of Singapore (HFCAS) was formed in 2019 to provide a platform for our members to explore partnership and collaboration opportunities in hydrogen and fuel cell related activities. HFCAS sees the importance of driving standardisation for safe use of hydrogen, raising the competency of our workforce through training, supporting research and development with industry support, organising events to bring together experts for sharing and exchange of knowledge, and opening doorways for our local companies to venture overseas through our business missions.
About Norwegian Hydrogen Forum
Norwegian Hydrogen Forum (NHF) is the national members’ association for hydrogen and was founded in 1996. Its members represent the entire hydrogen value chain, from producers via distributors to end users, including both small and large energy companies, technology suppliers, research, and authorities. NHF promotes the advantages of hydrogen and hydrogen-derived energy carriers such as ammonia and seeks to establish a substantial home market for hydrogen, as well as to strengthen Norway’s position as an international supplier of hydrogen, hydrogen technologies and competence.
Contact
Norwegian Hydrogen Forum
Tor Kristian Haldorsen
Telephone: +47 979 99 246
Email: tkh@hydrogen.no
Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association of Singapore
Tessa Teng
Telephone: +65 8869 5121
Email: Tessa.teng@hfcas.org
Innovation Norway
Per Christer Lund
Telephone: +65 9699 0673
Email: perlu@innovationnorway.no
