A delegation from the Atlantic Arc Chambers of Commerce held a meeting today with representatives from the Hydrogen Valleys and Clusters of the Cantabrian coast, with the dual aim of learning about initiatives already underway in this field on the one hand, and analyzing the role that Chambers of Commerce can play in helping to materialize the opportunities this energy vector brings to the entire territory, on the other.
The meeting is part of the actions carried out by the Atlantic Arc Chambers of Commerce, the forum for reflection and cooperation in which 21 Chambers of Commerce from the Atlantic regions of Portugal, Spain, and France participate, seeking to unite forces from the strength of the local level to transform the Atlantic Arc into a more competitive, more sustainable, more dynamic, more open, and connected territory; as well as more attractive and with a higher quality of life for its citizens.
Among the lines of action identified by the Chambers to continue developing a common strategy to address the challenges faced by the regions of the Atlantic Arc are renewable energies and hydrogen. For this reason, the Chambers have established the Hydrogen Corridor and Map Support Working Group to analyze the opportunities offered by this field. It is worth noting that various communities already have initiatives such as Hydrogen Valleys and Clusters, and that the main hydrogen infrastructure is located in this area, along with potential storage infrastructures.
Representing the Atlantic Arc Chambers of Commerce at the event was the president of the Bilbao Chamber of Commerce, José Ignacio Zudaire, along with representatives from the Chambers of Álava, Avilés, Burgos, Cantabria, Gijón, Gipuzkoa, Navarra, Torrelavega, Oviedo, and Vigo. Representatives from the Hydrogen Valleys or Clusters of the Cantabrian coast included AGH2 – Galician Hydrogen Association; ReCoDe H2 – Reactivation, Competitiveness and Decarbonization of Asturias with Renewable H2; PH2C – Cantabria Hydrogen Platform; BH2C – Basque Hydrogen Corridor; and H2CYL – Castile and León Hydrogen Association.
The event also included the presence of Enagas, Redeia, and the Bilbao Port Authority, as necessary infrastructures for hydrogen distribution, and Petronor, as a potential industrial consumer of this essential energy vector for decarbonization. Additionally, attendees included the provincial deputy for Economic Promotion and the general director of Territorial Competitiveness and Foreign Promotion of the Bizkaia Provincial Council, Ainara Basurko and Cristina Mugica; the general director of EVE – Basque Energy Entity, Mikel Amundarain; as well as representatives from the University of Cantabria, the Government of Cantabria, the Government of Navarra, and the University of Burgos, along with companies interested in hydrogen development.
The meeting took place at the Energy Intelligence Center (EIC) headquarters in Abanto-Zierbena, a center linked to new technologies and projects contributing to meeting the challenges of the energy transition, especially hydrogen, due to its potential as one of the energy vectors with the greatest future.
The conclusions of this meeting will be presented at the plenary session of the Atlantic Arc Chambers of Commerce, which will take place in Vigo on March 6 and 7.