The Dutch King Willem-Alexander officially gave the starting signal for the construction of an international hydrogen network in the port of Rotterdam. Energy and Climate Minister Robt Jetten spoke on Friday of an important step towards a climate-friendly energy system.
The network is intended to connect the country’s large industrial centers and, from 2030, be linked to networks in Germany and Belgium and also supply industrial centers there with green hydrogen. In addition, seaport import terminals, hydrogen production plants and large-scale storage facilities are to be connected.
With this infrastructure, Rotterdam, Europe’s largest port, wants to become an international hub for hydrogen. “We clearly see ourselves as a frontrunner and work with other European ports,” said the commercial director at the port authority, Matthijs van Doorn, to the German Press Agency.
Everyone relies on hydrogen
Hydrogen is expected to play a crucial role in the transition to a climate-friendly energy supply. This is about so-called green hydrogen, which is produced using green electricity from wind or sun, for example, and no CO2 is released. It is easy to transport and store.
Above all, hydrogen is intended to replace fossil fuels in industry and the transport sector. By converting the industry, the Netherlands could reduce annual CO2 emissions by 25 percent.
It doesn’t work without imports
But the green hydrogen dream has a catch: production capacity is currently far from sufficient. A large part of the hydrogen has to be imported. Therefore, infrastructure is necessary for transport.
Germany wants to increase production capacity using the electrolysis process to at least ten gigawatts by 2030. Even then, according to federal government estimates, 50 to 70 percent will still have to be imported. The Netherlands even estimates its import requirements at 80 to 90 percent.
Most of the hydrogen will arrive in the port of Rotterdam by ship and be transported further via the network. The port expects the first imports from the beginning of 2025 – such as from Australia, Chile or Namibia. In Germany, North Rhine-Westphalia can also be supplied via the Delta-Rhine corridor. In this German-Dutch project, hydrogen and CO2 pipelines are being built to North Rhine-Westphalia.
New energy in old tubes
The network is expected to cost around 1.5 billion euros in the Netherlands and be around 1,200 kilometers long to the respective national borders. Incidentally, only a small part of the cables have to be re-laid. Around 85 percent of old gas pipes can be used.
The first hydrogen is expected to flow through the pipeline from the port as early as 2025. According to plans, the network will be connected to the lines in Germany by 2030 at the latest. The federal government is planning a pipeline network of 1,800 kilometers there by 2027/2028.
Production and storage
The port of Rotterdam also relies on the production of green energy sources. The first electrolysis factory is currently being built by the oil company Shell. Shell wants to use this to cover around 20 percent of the energy needs of its oil refinery near Rotterdam. Three more electrolysis plants from other operators are planned. And large storage facilities are planned: large quantities of hydrogen will initially be stored in underground salt deposits.
