DEME is part of a group of companies and research institutes that have banded together to invest in green hydrogen production in the Flemish region.
The Hyve consortium also includes the Flemish research institutes Imec and Vito, as well as Bekaert, Colruyt Group, and John Cockerill.
They want to produce hydrogen at a gigawatt scale that is both cost-effective and sustainable.
The partners stated that “Hyve will put the Flemish region in the driver seat for the deployment of a hydrogen economy and the transition to a carbon neutral industry in Europe.”
To achieve the goal, the consortium brings together players from across the value chain, combining expertise in developing new electrolysis components with material suppliers, electrolyser integration companies, and companies that will use the infrastructure to generate green hydrogen.
Imec and Vito will combine their expertise to improve the electrolysis technology’s efficiency.
The materials will be provided by Bekaert, a manufacturer of metallic porous transport layers for electrolysis.
The findings will be incorporated into the production of alkaline electrolysers by John Cockerill.
The electrolysers will be used by DEME to convert wind and solar energy into green hydrogen and other green products.
Through the ‘Hyport’ concept, the company aims to import low-cost green hydrogen products into Europe as a supplement to local European production.
Colruyt Group, a retailer, will fund research applications for sustainable transportation.
It already has a hydrogen filling station, is testing hydrogen-powered forklifts and the first heavy-duty trucks, is working on a green hydrogen plant in Zeebrugge with Virya Energy, and is looking into e-fuels with Dats24.
