The permit process for the 25 megawatt green hydrogen production unit in Zeebrugge is being managed by Sweco.
This is a first for Belgium, and it strengthens the country’s hydrogen ambitions even more. The Hyoffwind consortium (Virya Energy and Fluxys) has chosen John Cockerill and BESIX as their technology partners as well as design and construction partners.
It is Sweco’s responsibility to secure the necessary permits and subsidies for this green hydrogen electrolysis plant, which will be built and operated by the company. Green hydrogen developments in the Netherlands and Belgium are being supported by our energy specialists, who have been instrumental in the deployment of engineering for high-pressure hydrogen’s compression, cooling, and storage modalities.
On December 31, 2021, a permit application was submitted, and by the middle of 2022, the consortium hopes to have the permit in hand. Subsidies granted by the Flemish government as part of the recovery plan must also be considered when making a final investment decision, which is expected in 2022. Due to the project’s perfect fit with Flemish hydrogen strategy, Flemish Economy and Innovation Minister Hilde Crevits has supported it since 2020.
Initial plans call for a plant that can convert 25 megawatts of electricity into green hydrogen, but partners envision a plant that can generate 100 megawatts of green hydrogen. As the first step towards making Flanders and Belgium a European hub for green hydrogen, this pioneering project will also help to develop the nation’s hydrogen infrastructure and benefit the entire European Union.
A multi-stakeholder consortium is putting together the Hyoffwind project, working on it from start to finish along the entire value chain. In this consortium, Virya Energy and Fluxys are working together to develop a power-to-gas plant that can convert renewable electricity into green hydrogen, which will be used in the transportation of green molecules.
As a raw material for industrial processes and a wide range of mobility applications in an economy powered by renewable energy, green hydrogen is essential. A flexible and balanced energy system will benefit from Hyoffwind’s ability to deal with the increased variability in renewable energy production.
