The consortium 'The Dutch Hydrogen Delta' has applied for some €80 million in subsidies from the National Growth Fund to develop the manufacturing industry for electrolysers. This should get the hydrogen economy off the ground faster in our country.
Plants producing green hydrogen are currently being built in the Netherlands, but the necessary process equipment is not yet made here. The goal is to supply half of all the plants needed in the Netherlands by 2026.
Research and scale-up
The grant application will be used for research and scale-up. And investments will be made in an 'H2 Innovation Hub' where companies, start-ups, scale-ups, investors, researchers and government can meet for knowledge sharing and cooperation. Technical training will also receive attention. All this should create new jobs, although I wonder where they will get the people for these positions.
It sounds great: hydrogen as a sustainable alternative to natural gas. But what about safety?
Security
Hydrogen is highly flammable and at normal pressure and temperature colourless, odourless and tasteless. A gas detection specialist in our company told me that this type of gas is difficult to detect. Ultrasonic gas detectors are often used to detect any hydrogen leaks in time for immediate action. And because hydrogen is highly flammable, flame detectors are used alongside gas detectors to ensure safety.
In terms of pressure protection, you also have to deal with demanding conditions with hydrogen. The pressures are often very high. You quickly end up with rupture discs for protection, but if these have to be triggered, you immediately have leakage without closure. This is obviously not desirable, but there will undoubtedly be a solution for this as well.
Pressure protection devices (spring safety devices and rupture discs) are already being researched to provide the best protection within hydrogen processes. Besides pressure protection, measurement and control equipment for hydrogen applications should also be critically examined.
To achieve climate targets, haste is needed. Green hydrogen can play an important role. I follow with interest the steps the (manufacturing) industry and energy sector will take to actually make hydrogen a sustainable and safe energy carrier.
