The Netherlands Aerospace Centre (NLR) and ROGER sign an agreement for the realisation of a small-scale hydrogen production and test facility for green hydrogen. The facility will enable demonstration and validation of hydrogen technology in realistic conditions. The test facility is available to NLR and ROGER as well as external parties.
Using an electrolyser, it is possible to convert water into hydrogen and oxygen. This process consumes energy. If energy is generated for this purpose using fossil fuel, this is grey hydrogen. Is this energy renewable? Then it is green energy. However, this is challenging in practice. The Netherlands, for instance, has long been committed to producing hydrogen, but the amount of green hydrogen we produce is still very limited.
Bringing innovations to market faster
With the new hydrogen production and test facility, NLR and ROGER aim to bring innovations to the market on a large scale faster. Among other things, the facility should contribute to reducing the cost of hydrogen, accelerating the transition to emission-free energy carriers. The site should be operational from 2025. The facility is planned at NLR's site in Marknesse, Flevoland.
NLR aims to build knowledge and conduct research into the application of hydrogen in the aviation sector through its collaboration with ROGER. Think of an aircraft with electrically driven propellers. Hydrogen can act as an energy carrier in this, with a fuel cell converting the hydrogen into electrical energy.
The centre aims to make the first hydrogen-powered flight with an electric-powered research aircraft in 2025. This will be the Pipistrel Velis Electro with registration PH-NLX. This is the first electric aircraft registered in the Netherlands and was unveiled in November 2020 by then Minister of Infrastructure Cora van Nieuwenhuizen.
'Validating hydrogen electrolysis on an industrial scale'
Michel Peters, CEO of NLR: "This is a logical step for NLR to contribute to making aviation climate-neutral by 2050. Hydrogen is an important pillar in this for NLR. The collaboration with ROGER gives us the opportunity to further build up knowledge through the combined facility to validate hydrogen electrolysis on an industrial scale. Moreover, NLR will also be a buyer of the green hydrogen itself, particularly intended for our drones, materials and construction research."
NLR is joining forces with ROGER as it develops large-scale production facilities for green hydrogen at various locations in the Netherlands. With this, ROGER aims to offer companies an emission-free solution for powering their vehicles, vessels, aircraft and heavy equipment. However, ROGER was looking for a location where it could combine production and research on a small but representative scale.
Aad Bruggeman, CEO of ROGER: "For ROGER, conducting, participating in and promoting research and development is a fundamental part of its mission and strategy. We want to be a leader in the development and application of advanced technologies and processes, which make the production and application of green hydrogen even more effective and cost-efficient. Cooperation with a renowned research institute like NLR is a unique opportunity to accelerate the transition from fossil fuels to sustainable energy carriers."
Fokker Next Gen
In addition to NLR, Fokker Next Gen and others are also working on a hydrogen-powered aircraft. In this case, it concerns an aircraft based on the Fokker 100, which should eventually be able to make flights of up to 2,500 kilometres on hydrogen. This should make all destinations within Europe accessible in a CO2-neutral way. Fokker Next Gen wants to manufacture the hydrogen-based Fokker in the Netherlands, although assembly may take place in another country. The company is currently working on the first example of a converted Fokker 100, which should take to the skies in 2027.
Author: Wouter Hoeffnagel
Image: akitada31 via Pixabay
