The Port of Rotterdam Authority is developing an 11-hectare site on Maasvlakte, suitable for the construction of a very large green hydrogen production plant. The reason for this is the tender for the IJmuiden Ver wind farm later this year.
In the procedure for Beta land, the Minister of Climate and Energy encourages companies to intelligently integrate a large part of wind energy into the energy system. The production of hydrogen directly on the coast is a logical solution, as it avoids an additional load on the high voltage network. The wind farm and hydrogen plant should be ready by 2028.
A project that marks the ambition of the Port of Rotterdam
Allard Castelein, CEO of the Port of Rotterdam Authority, says: “The construction of a 1 GW hydrogen plant is the next leap in green hydrogen production. Several companies are building, or have advanced plans to build, 200-250 MW electrolyzers in Maasvlakte. These would currently be the largest in Europe, but we already want to host the next generation of hydrogen plants. We expect them to be five times larger.”
Several companies have plans to build a total of about 1,350 MW (1.35 GW) of electrolysis in Rotterdam. The Port Authority’s ambition is to reach 2 to 2.5 GW of electrolysis by 2030. This will be within reach with this development. The national government is targeting 4 GW nationwide by 2030. More and more wind farms will be built in the North Sea over the next few years. Part of the electricity they produce will be used to produce green hydrogen: electrolysis splits water (H20) into hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O). This green hydrogen is an alternative to natural gas. Hydrogen production directly on the coast is attractive because it does not require additional high voltage cables on land. It is also attractive to produce where the main customers are: the industry.
A capacity of 2 GW in 2028
At the end of March, the Minister of Climate and Energy announced the draft ministerial regulation for the IJmuiden Ver Zone Beta wind farm area. It will have a capacity of 2 GW and should be ready around 2028. The formal bidding process will begin in the second half of 2023. Various parties have already indicated their interest.
The Port of Rotterdam Authority will reserve 11 hectares on Maasvlakte exclusively for the party that wins this tender and wishes to produce green hydrogen on a large scale in Rotterdam. This site offers space for up to 1 GW.
