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For a successful transition we need a lot more green hydrogen in Northwest Europe than we can produce ourselves. According to our calculations, we can produce about 10% ourselves in the Netherlands, the rest will have to be imported. Countries with plenty of wind, sun and space in particular are the future exporters of green hydrogen. Port of Rotterdam already has connections with many potential producers all around the world. The importance of hydrogen also increases on the logistic side. This year, the first charging station for electric trucks in the port was opened and the first two inland barges are sailing on hydrogen already.    

Plans for the production of green hydrogen in the port add up to 2,5 GW in 2030. As the plots at the first conversion park have been allocated, space is being created for an electrolysis cluster elsewhere on the Maasvlakte. An 11-hectare site is reserved for an electrolyser up to 1 GW for the party winning the tender for IJmuiden Ver Wind Farm Zone Beta. This tender promotes the ‘integration of wind energy into the energy system’. And it doesn’t stop with those two conversion parks; Eneco and Uniper are also making concrete plans to build electrolysers on their own sites. 

Both production and import

In terms of projects, there are many. For inland production, the port facilitates conversion parks for electrolysers, where the construction of the first 200MW green hydrogen factory is already taking place: Holland Hydrogen One. This factory will produce 200 megawatts of hydrogen. Holland Hydrogen One is being constructed on Conversion Park One, a location with space for four plants, which might add up to roughly 1 GW scale. 

Holland Hydrogen One 

The Porthos CCS project enables rapid CO2 reduction: Construction has already started in April 2024 and the first CO2 will flow in depleted gas fields in 2026, reducing the CO2 emissions of the Rotterdam industry by 10%. The national hydrogen network begins in Rotterdam’s port and construction started in the second half of 2023. The network, which is open to all suppliers and buyers of hydrogen, will eventually reach 1,200 kilometres in length and offer five Dutch industrial clusters access to green hydrogen. The first part of the hydrogen network in Rotterdam will extend from the Maasvlakte to Pernis. That is a section of more than thirty kilometres that is expected to be operational by 2025. The Dutch national network will be part of a larger European hydrogen backbone connecting 21 European countries and will have 40,000 kilometres of pipeline by 2040.

Infrastructure 
 
 

The port has already taken major steps in bringing the infrastructure, production, storage, supply and demand of hydrogen (or hydrogen carriers) together. As a matchmaker, the Port of Rotterdam Authority has established agreements with countries and ports worldwide that will be able to export large volumes of green or low-carbon hydrogen in the near future.  

Matchmaker 
 

HI FROM THE FUTURE

Over 13% of all energy used in Europe flows through the port of Rotterdam, making it the largest energy port in Europe. Green hydrogen is the obvious way to facilitate the European industry on its road to CO2 neutrality. Infrastructure for CO2 and H2 is being built throughout the port. Cross-border infrastructure, like the Delta Rhine Corridor is being developed to facilitate the decarbonisation of the European industry.   

The energy transition is taking place in the port of Rotterdam. A CO2 neutral port in 2050 is the goal, with hydrogen as one of the key elements. In effect, the whole value chain of this hydrogen economy is taking place here, in Europe's Hydrogen Hub: Rotterdam. 

The latest developments in Europe’s Hydrogen Hub

Plans for the production of green hydrogen in the port add up to 2,5 GW in 2030. As the plots at the first conversion park have been allocated, space is being created for an electrolysis cluster elsewhere on the Maasvlakte. An 11-hectare site is reserved for an electrolyser up to 1 GW for the party winning the tender for IJmuiden Ver Wind Farm Zone Beta. This tender promotes the ‘integration of wind energy into the energy system’. And it doesn’t stop with those two conversion parks; Eneco and Uniper are also making concrete plans to build electrolysers on their own sites. 

Both production and import

In terms of projects, there are many. For inland production, the port facilitates conversion parks for electrolysers, where the construction of the first 200MW green hydrogen factory is already taking place: Holland Hydrogen One. This factory will produce 200 megawatts of hydrogen. Holland Hydrogen One is being constructed on Conversion Park One, a location with space for four plants, which might add up to roughly 1 GW scale. 

For a successful transition we need a lot more green hydrogen in Northwest Europe than we can produce ourselves. According to our calculations, we can produce about 10% ourselves in the Netherlands, the rest will have to be imported. Countries with plenty of wind, sun and space in particular are the future exporters of green hydrogen. Port of Rotterdam already has connections with many potential producers all around the world. The importance of hydrogen also increases on the logistic side. This year, the first charging station for electric trucks in the port was opened and the first two inland barges are sailing on hydrogen already.    

Holland Hydrogen One 

The Porthos CCS project enables rapid CO2 reduction: Construction has already started in April 2024 and the first CO2 will flow in depleted gas fields in 2026, reducing the CO2 emissions of the Rotterdam industry by 10%. The national hydrogen network begins in Rotterdam’s port and construction started in the second half of 2023. The network, which is open to all suppliers and buyers of hydrogen, will eventually reach 1,200 kilometres in length and offer five Dutch industrial clusters access to green hydrogen. The first part of the hydrogen network in Rotterdam will extend from the Maasvlakte to Pernis. That is a section of more than thirty kilometres that is expected to be operational by 2025. The Dutch national network will be part of a larger European hydrogen backbone connecting 21 European countries and will have 40,000 kilometres of pipeline by 2040.

Infrastructure 
 
 

The port has already taken major steps in bringing the infrastructure, production, storage, supply and demand of hydrogen (or hydrogen carriers) together. As a matchmaker, the Port of Rotterdam Authority has established agreements with countries and ports worldwide that will be able to export large volumes of green or low-carbon hydrogen in the near future.  

Matchmaker 
 

Over 13% of all energy used in Europe flows through the port of Rotterdam, making it the largest energy port in Europe. Green hydrogen is the obvious way to facilitate the European industry on its road to CO2 neutrality. Infrastructure for CO2 and H2 is being built throughout the port. Cross-border infrastructure, like the Delta Rhine Corridor is being developed to facilitate the decarbonisation of the European industry.   

The energy transition is taking place in the port of Rotterdam. A CO2 neutral port in 2050 is the goal, with hydrogen as one of the key elements. In effect, the whole value chain of this hydrogen economy is taking place here, in Europe's Hydrogen Hub: Rotterdam. 

HI FROM THE FUTURE

The latest developments in Europe’s Hydrogen Hub