North Sea Port to put into operation open-access hydrogen network
Two European energy infrastructure companies, Gasunie and Fluxys, are jointly working on developing an open-access hydrogen network in the North Sea Port. It will deliver an innovative fuel to the customers in Belgium and the Netherlands. The cross-border network is expected to be put into operation at the earliest in 2026.
In the coming years, Gasunie and Fluxys will create a well-developed hydrogen infrastructure within the North Sea Port area. It will provide hydrogen to the companies in the 60-kilometre cross-border port area: from Vlissingen and Terneuzen in the Netherlands to Ghent in Belgium. To this end, Gasunie, Fluxys and North Sea Port concluded the relevant agreement on Tuesday, 17 May.
“Working closely with industry, Fluxys and Gasunie are preparing to build an open-access hydrogen network on both sides of the border. Connection to the infrastructure is open to any company. The goal is to have the networks operational by 2026 and then connect them together at the border. This will mark the creation of one of the first open-access cross-border hydrogen networks in Europe,” the North Sea Port Authority stated.
According to the arrangements, the connection between the two hydrogen networks will be at Sas van Gent in the Netherlands and Zelzate in Belgium, where natural gas already flows between the two countries today. The pipelines for the hydrogen network will be located mainly along existing pipeline routes in order to minimise the impact on the surrounding areas.
It is worth noting that the North Sea Port is the largest hydrogen hub in the Benelux. 580,000 tonnes of hydrogen are produced and consumed by companies within the port area annually. The demand for hydrogen in the cross-border port will double by 2050 when it will become fully sustainable.