North Atlantic Nations Form Hydrogen Association

Source: New Energy/Iceland
[May 20, 2006]

The islands of the North, Iceland, Faroe Islands and Greenland, in cooperation with Norwegian partners have decided to increase their cooperation regarding hydrogen in the near future. For this purpose they have decided to establish NAHA (The North Atlantic Hydrogen Association). NAHA will be founded in Greenland in August 2006.

During the last few years Iceland has taken a global lead in initiating hydrogen projects. The Government of Iceland was the first to declare its aim to create the worlds first hydrogen society. Following this declaration international cooperation started and for the last 3 years research and demonstration projects have been undertaken with the leadership of Icelandic New Energy Ltd (INE). Now Iceland´s neighbours have joined Iceland with the quest to create a hydrogen society in the North Atlantic region.

To start the initiative key players from Iceland, Faroe Islands and Greenland with a stong Norwegian participation have decided to form a formal cooperation regarding hydrogen activities, through the North Atlantic Hydrogen Associations.

Many of the island societies in the North are small and already there is a strong cooperation between the regions industry and governments. NAHA wants to build on that cooperation and increase the level of learning and share between governments and industry in a broader sense.

The goal of NAHA, with the participation of its members, is to:

* Spread information between the members and international stakeholders about hydrogen technology for example by facilitating

1) Public information, seminars, meetings, workshops etc.

2) Publish a newsletter, website etc.

* Undertake education, research projects and new developments concerning hydrogen technology, focusing on the development of the hydrogen technology within the North Atlantic region in general.

* Be an active and constructive partner in supporting governance bodies, institutes and organisations in order to formulate an environmentally sound future policy for industry and services, based on hydrogen as an energy carrier, with specific emphasis on the ties between renewable energy resources and hydrogen.

Preparation for the start-up started already in latter part of 2005 with the support of NORA (NORRØNT ATLANTSSAMSTARV) granted the founding members a support for the start up. Founding members are from the 4 earlier mentioned nations and already preparations have been taken for potential first projects. These ideas will be introduced at the start up workshop taking place in Nuuk, Greenland, between August 8-10th 2006 (see agenda /naha/kick-off_workshop). The goal of that meeting will be to formally kick-off the Association and to facilitate a workshop to open for discussions between members regarding the first projects.

NAHA is open for all interested parties working in the North Atlantic region and we welcome all hydrogen stakeholders to join this new cooperation (www.newenergy.is/naha ).