Offshore wind developer Parkwind and its partners will issue tenders for the installation of a 25MW electrolyser in the Zeebrugge port area to produce green hydrogen on an industrial scale.
Parkwind, Eoly (part of Colruyt Group) and Fluxys are going to market for the power to gas plant following the successful completion of a feasibility study for the Hyoffwind project.
The partners aim to take a final investment decision after the summer. Construction of the installation is planned to occur from mid-2021, after obtaining the necessary permits and authorisations. The plant is expected to start producing green hydrogen in early 2023.
The Hyoffwind project will comprise an electrolyser plant with 25MW of capacity that will be supplied with renewable electricity to make hydrogen.
The partners said in a statement: “This project aims at a scale-up for Belgium, and consequently makes sure that our country is not missing out on current evolutions.
“Zeebrugge would act as an energy hub, also having the potential as a logistics hub for hydrogen applications. It would be the first installation of such scale in Belgium. As a result, the price of renewable hydrogen could drop, which in turn could boost the applications that make use of green hydrogen.”
In a first phase, with the support of the Federal Energy Transition Fund, the feasibility of the installation was further investigated and deemed the technology to be mature enough for industrialised production of green hydrogen, and the legislative framework and permits sufficient to facilitate the installation of the plant.
The consortium will work on grid connection aspects of the project with Elia, the Belgian grid operator, as well as the marketing of the green hydrogen, including price requests, permitting preparations and establishing legal entities.
Parkwind chief executive Francois Van Leeuw said: “The participating companies are taking a business risk and are willing to go for it, and the feasibility of the project has been demonstrated.
“Due to its sustainable and innovative character, this project fits in the objectives of the Flemish Government on hydrogen and in the European Green Deal”.
Eoly business manager Stephan Windels said: “In order to meet the future demand for green hydrogen it is necessary to start now with the creation of the necessary conditions to create a positive business case for large-scale hydrogen plants.
“Therefore, the development of the renewable hydrogen economy needs to start now.”
Green hydrogen can be transported and stored in the existing natural gas infrastructure, which, in the future, could enable the seasonal storage of renewable energy. At the same time, natural gas as energy for heating, mobility and industry will become more carbon efficient and thus more sustainable.
In addition, green hydrogen can also be used as a carbon-free energy or raw material on its own, in mobility, logistics and industrial processes, such as steel-making.