Project
Gigawatt scale green hydrogen and e-methanol value chain
HyNetherlands will share and disseminate technologies to produce e-methanol that is based on renewable hydrogen from a newly built 100 MW electrolysis unit, together with biogenic CO₂ from a newly built carbon-capture plant. This creates the eminent E-methanol, produced on an industrial scale.
This real low-carbon-footprint e-methanol replaces conventional products and decarbonizes industrial applications and the mobility sector.
HyNetherlands boosts the commercialization of e-methanol to replace a large range of fossil-based products, reducing greenhouse gas emissions in our society.
HyNetherlands will trigger:
- The market and commercialization of new renewable products in the transport sector, especially for the shipping sector
- The avoidance of 140 kilo tons per year of CO₂ starting from end 2025
- The circularity of biogenic CO₂ from non-recyclable waste as well as circularity of oxygen
- The overall efficiency improvement of water electrolysis process against current standards
Energy transition for industry and transport
HyNetherlands is uniquely positioned in Europe in the Northern Netherlands, where the natural gas economy is shifting towards a hydrogen economy.
This coastal region offers abundant offshore wind energy. There is an infrastructure in place focusing on re-utilization and currently the so called hydrogen backbone is at an advanced stage; an extensive network of hydrogen pipelines throughout the Netherlands and beyond. Part of the infrastructure is a large underground storage facility. HyNetherlands will create new jobs and will reorient qualified local gas staff towards hydrogen skills and techniques.
HyNetherlands accelerates the commercialization of an affordable energy carrier premium product from renewable based e-methanol on the emerging market, through an investment subsidized up to 75%.
This will position European industry and investors on a scalable industrial project, taking the global lead on e-methanol and hydrogen production and commercialization.
HyNetherlands will 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.
An industrial eco-system to enhance the future of energy
The ENGIE hydrogen production site will be located on the site of the Eems power plant in Eemshaven, 30 kilometers north-east of the city of Groningen and close to the German border. The renewable hydrogen can be supplied to tube trailers (for e.g. mobility) at the site and will be injected into the hydrogen backbone, based on the retrofitted existing gas network to be operated by HyNetwork Services, a subsidiary of Gasunie. The 100 MW electrolyzer, powered by 200 MW of wind capacity supplied by offshore wind turbines, will be able to follow the intermittent supply of electricity.
The EEW carbon capture plant will be integrated with the Delfzijl waste-to-energy plant. The site is located near the Oosterhorn canal and is therefore connected to the grid. The site is also connected to the railway network.
The proposed OCI e-methanol production facility is integrated with BioMCN’s existing methanol plant in Farmsum, in the Delfzijl chemical park. The plant is located close to the Groningen gas field and the port.
A major contribution to energy transition for hard-to-abate industrial sectors
For some industries with a high carbon footprint it is very hard to achieve CO₂ neutrality in the short term. The maritime transport sector for instance, can benefit tremendously from e-methanol with the RED2 directive.
The advantage of this fully decarbonized value chain is that it reaches many aspects of the energy transition.
- From a climatic and environmental point of view with the avoidance of 140 kilotonsper year of CO₂ from the end of 2025 and the circularity of biogenic CO₂ from non recyclable waste
- From an economic point of view for the Netherlands, by triggering new investments in offshore wind in the country, in the hydrogen infrastructure and by creating new jobs.
- In support to Europe’s sustainable energy sovereignty, by laying the foundations for Europe’s security of energy supply through a fully decarbonized value chain, while ensuring a healthy sectoral coupling in the future, as well as electricity and gas supply.
HyNL will be increasing production capacity from 100MW in 2025 to 1.85 GW in the early 2030s.
HyNetherlands to transform industries, transport and maritime sectors to reach carbon neutrality.
- Large-scale: HyNetherlands will trigger the large-scale deployment of renewable hydrogen, carbon capture and e-methanol production for a large spectrum of usages.
- First uses: HyNL will focus on the refinery sector through the production of e-methanol for maritime applications and hydrogen for mobility, such as buses, trucks and trains.
- By 2030: the objective is to provide innovative energy solutions to a diversity of usage, from chemical sector to to steel industry.
The HyNetherlands project will directly contribute to both the Dutch (4 GW by 2030 of electrolyzer capacity) and the European Hydrogen roadmaps (40 GW by 2030).
HyNetherlands is a sustainable innovation contributing to the essential energy transition
The overall purpose of HyNetherlands is to promote and accelerate the large-scale development of competitive and innovative low-carbon technologies throughout Europe and to create hydrogen valleys.
The HyNetherlands project is key to kickstart the e-fuels and hydrogen economy in Netherlands and Europe. HyNL will develop large-scale production chains that will enable the creation of a renewable market in Europe, thanks to the roadmap with high technology cost reductions to render renewable hydrogen and e-methanol competitive.
Reinforcing the methanol industry in the Netherlands, by switching from fossil-based processes to renewable-based e-methanol production, and thereby reducing the dependence on import of fossil fuels.
Capturing and using biogenic CO₂ from waste-to-energy plants to reduce emissions and contribute to circularity.
Developing an innovative renewable hydrogen auctioning system which will provide access to renewable hydrogen volumes to a large spectrum of potential offtakers.