HyNetherlands: an innovative project of common European interest
On December 21 the Dutch government announced that it will support the 100MW green hydrogen project HyNetherlands as part of Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEI). It is one out of seven Dutch projects which were part of this IPCEI wave ‘H2Use’. Earlier this year, the HyNetherlands project was formally recognized and IPCEI notified by the European Commission. With the support of the Dutch government and the official notification by the European Commission, the project can now move to the next stage, aiming for an investment decision for the first 100MW next year.
Pierre Devillers, Country Manager ENGIE Netherlands ‘HyNetherlands is a unique project in Europe that can play an important role in the development of the Hydrogen Valley in the Northern Netherlands. We are therefore thankful for the IPCEI support by the Dutch government, the collaboration with our project partners and the wider region.’
The first phase of the project will consist of a new 100 MW electrolyzer facility on the ENGIE Eems site that will produce hydrogen for e-methanol production and deliver renewable-based hydrogen to the local mobility and industry sectors. HyNetherlands aims to develop, build, and operate one of the first large-scale industrial value chains in Europe for the production of e-methanol by combining renewable hydrogen and biogenic CO2 in the Northern Netherlands (Province of Groningen).
The long-term ambition of HyNetherlands is to increase its contribution to the decarbonization of industry and mobility in the Northern Netherlands and beyond. This ambition will be reached by gradually scaling-up the production capacity of the electrolyzers from 100MW in 2025 to 1,85GW in the early 2030s. The project and its corresponding roadmap have all characteristics to lay the basis for Europe’s energy security of supply by a full decarbonized value chain, while ensuring future sound sector coupling and electrical and gas grid integration.
‘HyNetherlands will contribute to the CO2-reduction goals on a national scale. The IPCEI support will kickstart the HyNetherlands roadmap and lead the way for decarbonizing multiple industrial sectors with a high carbon footprint.’ Gregory Bartholomé, Project Manager HyNetherlands