Equinor joins European hydrogen project
Published by Bella Weetch,
Editorial Assistant
Energy Global,
The project aims to produce green hydrogen using renewable electricity from offshore wind off the coast of the Netherlands. The goal is to produce approximately 4 GW by 2030, and 10+ GW by 2040, kickstarting the hydrogen economy in northwest Europe.
NortH2 was launched in February 2020, with Shell, Groningen Seaports Gasunie and the province of Groningen, the Netherlands. Equinor has joined RWE as new partners to the project. The project will complete a feasibility study by 2021, with the aim to start project development activities in the 2H2021.
The project will have a capacity of 1 GW in 2027, 4 GW by 2030 and 10+ GW by 2040 for electrolysis. This equates to 0.4 million t of green hydrogen production in 2030 and 1 million t green hydrogen production by 2040. The project will abate 8 -10 million t of CO2 emissions, the equivalent to the yearly emissions from road traffic in Norway. The rapid growth in offshore wind is well suited to developing a green hydrogen value chain.
Northwest Europe is well positioned to develop an integrated hydrogen value chain – from offshore wind development and renewable power generation to production, storage, transport and the sale of green hydrogen.
The North Sea has potential for large-scale wind development, as there is existing natural gas infrastructure that is suitable for storage and large-scale transport of hydrogen. There are also large industrial clusters in the Netherlands and Germany, as well as heavy-duty vehicle OEMs that could benefit economically from a ‘first mover’ advantage.
NortH2 expands the energy transition agenda for Equinor by adding a significant green hydrogen value chain. This complements the company’s existing renewable and low-carbon projects such as Dogger Bank (offshore wind), Northern Lights (carbon capture and storage) and H2H Saltend (blue hydrogen).
The project envisions a 4 GW integrated offshore-wind-to-green-hydrogen value chain by 2030, and 10+ GW by 2040. Through the parallel development of the required hydrogen infrastructure by repurposing existing natural gas infrastructure, the project could supply major northwest European clusters.
By doing so, the NortH2 project will make a domestic contribution to meet expected growing hydrogen demand and thereby to meet Dutch as well as EU climate targets for 2030. It also ensures long term decarbonisation in line with the Paris Agreement. The project fits in with the agenda of the northern Netherlands to become one of the leading regions for green hydrogen, supporting economic development and the creation of high-skilled jobs.
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Read the article online at: https://www.energyglobal.com/other-renewables/07122020/equinor-joins-european-hydrogen-project/
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