The consortium De Nederlandse Hydrostof Delta has presented a plan to increase Dutch autonomy in the field of hydrogen.
The plan, called The Dutch Hydrogen Delta, aims to achieve this goal by building a production location that includes installations for the production of green hydrogen. The installations use a unique Dutch hydrogen battery, the Battolyser, which is being marketed by Battolyser Systems in Schiedam, a TU Delft spin-off founded by Professor Fokko Mulder.
The Battolyser is a system that stores green electricity in a robust battery with iron and nickel electrodes. When the battery is full, charging continues, and the same electrodes then split the water into oxygen and hydrogen. The hydrogen is immediately stored under pressure. Charging the battery and producing hydrogen happens when there is a surplus of sustainable wind and solar energy. The technology also ensures that energy is returned to the electricity grid if there is a shortage of solar and wind energy.
The Dutch Hydrogen Delta wants to realize an annual production capacity of 1 GW of Battolysers in the Rotterdam Merwe-Vierhavens area (M4H) by 2026. This would supply half of the clean energy capacity that the Netherlands needs to achieve the interim climate goals in 2030 and prevent the Netherlands and Europe from becoming dependent on technology and energy from countries such as China and Russia.
The plan will also create new jobs, according to the consortium. The machine and equipment construction has so far been the missing link in the Dutch hydrogen economy. For example, factories are being built on the Maasvlakte that produce green hydrogen, but the equipment for this is not yet being made in the Netherlands. The production location will be an important step in ensuring that the country is self-sufficient in producing the critical components for the electrolyser, assembling them to scale, and realizing an ecosystem.
For the implementation of the plan, a subsidy application of approximately 80 million euros has been submitted to the National Growth Fund. The application is also used for research and to give the suppliers involved the opportunity to gain experience in scaling up production. In addition, investments are being made in a so-called H2 Innovation Hub. Here, companies, start-ups, scale-ups, investors, researchers, and the government can meet to share knowledge and set up partnerships. Technical courses will also have a place in this new cluster in the M4H area.
The consortium De Nederlandse Hydrostof Delta consists of Battolyser Systems, Port of Rotterdam, Platform Zero, Didak, Agfa Gevaert, Madern International, VSPARTICLE, Demcon, Delft University of Technology, Technology College Rotterdam, Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, and InnovationQuarter.
The Dutch Hydrogen Delta is an ambitious plan to increase Dutch autonomy in the field of hydrogen using the unique Dutch hydrogen battery, the Battolyser. The plan aims to achieve an annual production capacity of 1 GW of Battolysers by 2026 and supply half of the clean energy capacity that the Netherlands needs to achieve its interim climate goals in 2030. The plan is an important step in ensuring that the country is self-sufficient in producing the critical components for the electrolyser, assembling them to scale, and realizing an ecosystem. The implementation of the plan will create new jobs and prevent the Netherlands and Europe from becoming dependent on technology and energy from other countries.
