VoltH2 Terneuzen and Virya Energy sign a cooperation agreement. The parties are working jointly to build a green hydrogen plant in the North Sea Port port area in Vlissingen.
Much hydrogen is currently still produced using fossil fuels. Green hydrogen differs from this and is produced in a more sustainable way. This involves hydrogen derived from a renewable source and produced using renewable energy. The main sources of green hydrogen are water and biomass.
3.6 million kg of green hydrogen
VoltH2 Terneuzen and Virya Energy are realising a hydrogen plant in North Sea Port. The plant with a 25 MW electrolysis unit is to produce up to 3.6 million kg of green hydrogen annually. The plant's capacity can be scaled up to 100MW at a later stage with a potential production of 14.4 million kg of green hydrogen per year.
The plant will include storage, refuelling and distribution capabilities. For instance, hydrogen can be stored on site, which helps to cope with fluctuations in wind energy production. Excess wind energy is hereby used to produce hydrogen, which is stored. If energy demand then exceeds wind power production, the stored hydrogen can be used to provide additional energy.
Hydrogen refuelling station
In the long term, a hydrogen refuelling station should also be built for trucks, buses and ships, among others. Via road, rail and waterways, VoltH2 plans to distribute hydrogen to filling stations in the area and the gas network.
VoltH2 already signed a cooperation agreement with North Sea Port in August 2020 for the realisation of the hydrogen plant. The cooperation agreement now signed by VoltH2 Terneuzen and Virya Energy is for the preparation of a long-term concession contract with North Sea Port for a 30,000 sq m industrial plot in the port area in Terneuzen.
Cluster of renewable fuels and raw materials
The choice of the Axelse Vlakte industrial park in North Sea Port's port area as the location for the plant offers several advantages. For instance, North Sea Port points out that the area is already home to an existing bio-LNG producer and two biostream and bio-ethanol projects are under development. The area can thus grow into a cluster of several producers of sustainable fuels and raw materials. This should lead, among other things, to synergies between the new forms of production and use of green fuel.
The plant is also located here in a zone where a lot of hydrogen is consumed. In addition, there are opportunities to reuse generated heat so that it is not lost.
An advantage VoltH2 pointed out earlier is the distance of less than 3,000 metres to Tennet's high-voltage grid. This is also where the sea cables of the Orsted wind farm are connected to the 380KV network.
Western European hydrogen hub
Daan Schalck, CEO North Sea Port: "North Sea Port is pushing ever harder for energy transition. VoltH2's new hydrogen plant in Terneuzen contributes to this and offers a lot of opportunities for companies at the Axelse vlakte business park. North Sea Port thus knows how to further strengthen itself as a hydrogen hub in Western Europe."
Author: Wouter Hoeffnagel
