German energy company Uniper and the Port of Rotterdam Authority are investigating the possibilities of large-scale production of green hydrogen at the Maasvlakte area in Rotterdam, Europe’s largest port. The parties are keen to get a hydrogen plant up and running by 2025 with a capacity of 100 MW and to expand this capacity to 500 MW. A feasibility study will be completed this summer.
Andreas Schierenbeck, CEO of Uniper, said: “Our location at Maasvlakte is the perfect place for large-scale production of green hydrogen. This is where everything comes together: large amounts of renewable energy, the required infrastructure, and industrial customers. A better place for green hydrogen production is hardly imaginable.”
In the production of green hydrogen, renewable energy is used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. This process is called electrolysis. Maasvlakte is an ideal location for the production of green hydrogen.
Renewable electricity from offshore wind farms will come ashore here, and various relevant facilities are already available on the Uniper site.
The potential market for sustainable hydrogen, both in the Rotterdam port area and in Germany, will be looked into, Uniper noted in a release. In due course, supply to major industrial complexes in North Rhine-Westphalia will also be possible through pipelines. The project team is also looking at options for import, storage, and export at Maasvlakte.
