The North-C-Methanol project entails the construction of two large-scale demo plants and supporting infrastructure on the Rodenhuize peninsula in North Sea Port. The first plant, a 65MW electrolyser, is being erected on the ENGIE site. This hydrogen plant will convert water into green hydrogen and oxygen using wind power.
Cedric Osterrieth, director of thermal activities in Europe at Engie, said: “We already have a direct, high-voltage grid link with renewable energy generated by the North Sea winds. We can use this energy to produce hydrogen, which in turn can serve as a renewable raw material.”
Proman methanol plant
The second plant, a Proman methanol plant on the Rodenhuize peninsula, will use the green hydrogen to convert the collected CO2 emissions of major local industrial players into green methanol, with the aim of generating 44,000t of green methanol annually. This can be used as feedstock for the chemicals and renewables industries, as well as fuel for ships and trains.
Ten private and public-sector partners are involved in the project, part of the North-CCU-Hub programme.
Supporting infrastructure such as new pipelines and storage tanks will be built by Fluxys and Oiltanking, with Mitsubishi Power overseeing the entire construction process.
Supporting the development of a circular economy in the port, waste from one enterprise will be used as a raw material by another one. All by-products of the methanol production process will be recycled locally.