German energy group RWE has received a €551mn ($595mn) grant from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland, RVO) for the construction of a 100-megawatt electrolyser in Eemshaven, in the north of the country. This funding is part of the SDE++ scheme (Stimulering Duurzame Energieproductie en Klimaattransitie), a public programme supporting industrial energy transition projects.
The selected site for the facility is located near the Magnum power plant, owned by RWE, which will enable direct integration into the existing energy infrastructure. The project, named OranjeWind Electrolyser, has already secured construction and environmental permits obtained last October, allowing the company to move forward with technical and contractual steps.
Powered by offshore wind
The electrolyser will be powered by renewable electricity from the OranjeWind offshore wind farm, currently being developed by RWE in partnership with TotalEnergies. This supply choice aims to ensure low-carbon operation, in line with the requirements for access to public funding through the SDE++.
Sopna Sury, Chief Operating Officer for Hydrogen at RWE Generation, stated that obtaining the funding, together with the permits, represented “critical steps towards the realisation of the OranjeWind Electrolyser project.” The facility is designed to produce green hydrogen for industrial applications.
Technical studies and contracting underway
The next steps of the project include carrying out the Front End Engineering and Design (FEED) study, selecting construction partners and securing long-term hydrogen offtake agreements. A final investment decision is expected once these preparatory phases are completed.
RWE intends to develop this unit as one of the pillars of its hydrogen portfolio in the Netherlands, a market supported by public subsidies and clear objectives for industrial emissions reduction. The Eemshaven site benefits from strategic port access and direct connection to future hydrogen transport infrastructure planned in the north of the country.