The province of Utrecht has taken a significant step forward in the usage of hydrogen in inland transportation. The province has agreed to join the ‘RH2INE network’ by signing a letter of intent.
RH2INE, a collaboration between the Dutch province of South Holland and the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, is a network of public-private partners working on an emission-free shipping route from Rotterdam to Germany’s Ruhr region. RH2INE brings together the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, as well as a number of other transportation stakeholders, with the goal of boosting hydrogen in the inland shipping industry.
Many ships go from Rotterdam’s port to the German countryside. It’s also worth mentioning the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal, which is Europe’s busiest navigable canal and runs through densely populated districts. “We will have to work together if we want to assist inland shipping to become cleaner and more sustainable,” said Arne Schaddelee, deputy for the province of Utrecht. “Parties in the RH2INE network are researching and developing actual programs to encourage the shift to hydrogen and what is needed in inland transportation in particular.” Consider governments, as well as port authorities and industrial hydrogen providers.”
“In inland transportation, ships have a long service life,” Schaddelee explains. This means that the skippers’ efforts in sustainability will not be recouped rapidly in the near or medium term. Standardization of procedures, as well as the related economies of scale that lower the cost of techniques are thus critical to greening the industry. We will only be able to comply with the Climate Agreement, the Clean Air Agreement, and the nitrogen dossier in the near future if we work together. This will make our living environment cleaner.”
Hydrogen Agreement for the Region
The province of Utrecht is developing a network of ‘clean energy hubs’ on the road and on the water, using hydrogen and electricity for transportation. Before the end of 2025, the province wants to make transport more sustainable. This will need the use of green hydrogen in hundreds of cars and boats. She is the founder of the Hydrogen Covenant, which promotes the usage of hydrogen among other things. In any event, the goal for 2025 is:
- 5–10 hydrogen fueling stations are planned.
- 300 hydrogen-powered trucks and other big vehicles
- 1500 hydrogen-powered vehicles (such as passenger cars and delivery trucks)
- 1-2 hydrogen-fueled ships
- 2–5 hydrogen-powered (tour) buses
