The Hyoffwind project in Belgium, which connects offshore wind power with a hydrogen production facility, is expected to reach a FID this year.
Virya Energy (Parkwind’s parent company) and Fluxys expect to receive the permit by mid-2022 and make a final investment decision by mid-2022.
The consortium says the final investment decision is also dependent on whether the Flemish government grants recovery plan subsidies. By participating in the European call for IPCEIs, the Flemish Ministry of Economy and Innovation will contribute EUR 23 million to the Flemish recovery plan.
The Flemish government will then give Hyoffwind a EUR 8 million strategic ecological aid grant. In Hyoffwind, offshore wind power is industrially converted to green hydrogen and injected into the natural gas transmission grid.The project’s developers hope to turn 25 MW of electricity into green hydrogen in Zeebrugge.
According to Hyoffwind’s feasibility study, Zeebrugge is ideal for offshore wind farm power-to-gas conversion because the cables arrive there. A location near a renewable energy source facilitates the integration of renewables into a diverse energy mix.
The project will be built in two phases. Initially, a 25 MW electrolyser will be installed, with a 100 MW electrolyser to follow. Last month, the Hyoffwind consortium, which also includes Parkwind and Eoly Energy, agreed to design and build the project’s green hydrogen production unit in Zeebrugge.
