In the three years following, Europe’s biggest green hydrogen plant preparations will take place in the Port of Rotterdam, as hydrogen will lead the energy transition system. Water is the only residual product of hydrogen; Yet, up to now hydrogen can be maintained by converting natural gas at high temperatures which led to CO2 release, as well.
The Port of Rotterdam will partner with BP and Nouryon to develop the hydrogen plant.
Rotterdam wants to change it, as water can be divided into hydrogen and oxygen via electrolysis; This means that using green energy, as wind and solar power, for electrolysis, hydrogen will be CO2 neutral.
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Corné Boot, Head of Government Affairs at BP Nederland commented
Together with Nouryon and the Port of Rotterdam Authority, we’ll be taking on the challenge to see whether we can establish a green hydrogen supply here.
She continued that the plant should be able to produce 45,000 tonnes of green hydrogen annually, making it the biggest hydrogen plant in Europe.
The three partners face a challenge of constructing a hydrogen plant 25 times larger than the other ones; Marcel Galjee, Nouryon’s Energy Director further noted
Which incentives will be available, and how do we develop the infrastructure needed at the right time? It is hugely complex, which means that technical feasibility is crucial. Today’s reality is that Europe’s biggest water electrolyser is at Nouryon in Norway, and this is 10 Megawatts. At the BP refinery we’re talking about a scale some 25 times larger. This demonstrates the challenge we’re facing.
According to the statement, the final decision will be taken in 2022. The plan is that there will be 12 Gigawatt in offshore wind energy in the Dutch section of the North Sea by 2030. However, this entire capacity is still not enough for only Rotterdam’s demand for green electricity and hydrogen.
Recently, the port of Rotterdam published its goals towards decarbonisation, looking to energy transition, biobased and circular economy, carbon capture and storage, hydrogen and renewables and the decarbonisation of its transport system.
