The Port of Rotterdam Authority has announced plans to develop an 11-hectare site on the Maasvlakte for a green hydrogen plant that could generate up to 1GW. The site will be located next to the upcoming high-voltage substation of Tennet's Amaliahaven (380 kV) and will be the destination of the 2GW DC cable from the IJmuiden Ver Wind Farm Zone Beta.
The hydrogen produced at the plant will not enter the electricity grid, reducing additional load on it. Instead, a new hydrogen pipeline will be built to transport the gas to customers efficiently. The proximity of the Evides water pipeline will also enable easy access to the water needed for the production process.
Moreover, the Port Authority is exploring the possibility of connecting the Maasvlakte hydrogen plants to regional heat networks, providing green heat to homes, offices, and greenhouses. The project is in response to the tender for the IJmuiden Ver Wind Farm, with the wind farm and hydrogen plant expected to be ready around 2028.
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The Port of Rotterdam Authority's chief executive, Allard Castelein, said that this project is the next step in the production of green hydrogen, which would be a significant leap in scale. He added that the site would be capable of accommodating the next generation of hydrogen plants, which are expected to be five times larger than the current ones.
The production of hydrogen directly on the coast is a smart solution that avoids additional load on the high-voltage network, said the Minister for Climate and Energy, who is encouraging companies to integrate much of the wind energy into the energy system. This project is a significant step towards a greener and sustainable future, helping the Netherlands to meet its climate targets.
