New European green hydrogen project announced

SHELL, Gasunie, and Groningen Seaports have launched the NortH2 project, which aims to build a green hydrogen facility in The Netherlands which will use wind power to produce 800,000 t/y of hydrogen by 2040.

The facility would use offshore wind power to produce hydrogen at the port of Eemshaven in The Netherlands. It aims to generate 3–4 GW of offshore wind power before 2030, growing to 10 GW by 2040, which will produce 800,000 t/y of H₂ by 2040. It could cut The Netherland’s CO₂ emissions by 7m t/y by using the hydrogen as a method to store sustainable energy. The hydrogen can then be used for power or for industry.

A feasibility study is expected to be completed by the end of the year. The project will require the construction of new offshore windfarms in the North Sea, the development of new electrolysers, and the establishment of a smart transport network to deliver the hydrogen to customers. Gasunie’s natural gas infrastructure will be used for storage and transport of hydrogen. First hydrogen is expected in 2027 if the outcome of the feasibility study is successful.

Marjan van Loon, President-Director of Shell Nederland, said: “This project offers opportunities throughout the entire hydrogen chain. In addition, it fits well with our New Energies aspirations and our ambitions to find new ways to reduce CO₂ emissions and deliver more and cleaner energy.”

Han Fennema, CEO of Gasunie, said: “The Netherlands has a leading position in the shift to a hydrogen economy. We have the North Sea for the production of wind [power], the ports as logistical hubs, and the industrial clusters that want to make the switch to green molecules and a suitable transport network. If we want to realise our climate ambitions, we must have large-scale infrastructure in good time. With these partners, and hopefully even more partners soon, we are helping the market to accelerate the transition to renewable energy.”