A green hydrogen factory is being built in Nieuw-Buinen, close to the border of Groningen and Drenthe, by the Groningen company Repowered, contractor Avitec, and developer of solar parks Solarfields. It will be the biggest green hydrogen production facility in the nation.
The electrolysis project will produce hydrogen for filling stations and other clients in the area using electricity from the nearby Hollandia solar park.
It will be the largest hydrogen factory in the nation when it is completely operational in 2024, along with facilities where the gas is stored and transported under high pressure.
Suitable for 66 city buses
Given that the hydrogen plant only produces a little amount of energy, the term “huge” in this context refers to particularly large in its sort. A five-megawatt electrolysis system will be able to create around 300 tons of gas. For instance, this enables 66 city buses to operate their routes for a whole year.
According to Jeroen Jansen of Repowered, “At the moment, you can count the number of electrolysis projects that convert green electricity into hydrogen on the fingers of one hand.” “The combined output of all these individual projects is less than five megawatts.” Repowered creates and oversees the plans in Nieuw-Buinen for the solar park Hollandia’s operators, Solarfields, and initiators Avitec.
The main reason why no larger installations have been created yet is that there aren’t enough chances to sell hydrogen. Technically speaking, Jansen says, “bigger installations are not all that much more complicated, but you do need clients for the hydrogen.”
There is even a shortage of green hydrogen due to the increase in demand for it. Repowered Jeroen Jansen.
The chicken-oak problem, according to Jansen, is dissipating because of the various hydrogen projects being implemented: “Because there are more and more areas where hydrogen is demanded, there is currently even a shortage of green hydrogen.” That becomes apparent when you refill. An estimated 26 euros will buy you a kilo of hydrogen at the Groningen Holthausen fueling station. Because hydrogen is so scarce, the price is so extremely expensive.
Nieuw-Buinen as a motivator
According to Jansen, the hydrogen plant at the Nieuw-Buiner solar park will serve as a motivator for other parties, developers, and consumers to pursue hydrogen-related initiatives. We expect to successfully end the chicken-and-egg paradox with this. A carrier might begin considering upgrading trucks to make them suitable for driving on hydrogen as more hydrogen becomes available.
Combine fleets with hydrogen
The desire of Avitec to run a portion of its fleet of trucks, excavators, shovels and other equipment on hydrogen gave rise to the Avitec and Solarfields Project.
The idea to also construct a filling station at the hydrogen facility, however, proved to be less feasible and is currently not moving further. To transfer the hydrogen from the installation to a truck that can transport it to filling stations, there will be a filling station.
The project has preliminary approval, which will become irrevocable in around six weeks if no objections are raised. The fifteen million euro installation financing is still being worked out.
A portion of the investment will be made by Avitec and Solarfield, and the province of Drenthe and the federal government will provide financial assistance. According to Jansen, banks will have to provide the majority of what is currently lacking. This is being discussed at the moment.
Hydrogen valley in the north
The initiative is a fresh cornerstone for the northern goals to transform the northern Netherlands into the nation’s Hydrogen Valley. Plans for it are always shifting and shifting.
A map of the Hydrogen Network Northern Netherlands’ pipeline system was shown on Wednesday by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy and Gasunie subsidiary Hynetwork Services (HNS). The Groningen Airport Eelde wants to employ hydrogen in aviation traffic, thus ships in the brown fleet are being upgraded to be able to sail on the gas.
The growing interest in hydrogen is something Repowered is also noticing. According to Jansen, “We offer advice to various parties engaged in hydrogen initiatives.” But it always proves to be a significant step to go from conducting research and feasibility studies to actually establishing a project and requesting approvals. That action has been taken in Nieuw-Buinen.
