They will carry out a ‘H-vision’ study with the aim of supplying decarbonised energy by replacing natural gas and coal with blue hydrogen. The project partners will also study how residual gases from the refining and chemical industry can be utilised to further enhance sustainability.
“Blue hydrogen will enable the industry to deliver a substantial reduction of CO2-emissions and help achieve the Dutch climate goals with a step change in the energy transition before 2030,” said the port.
Significant CO2 reduction
Potential CO2-emissions reductions of 2 megatons per annum in 2025, rising to 6 megatons per annum in 2030 are credibly expected, it added.
Blue hydrogen is obtained from natural gas or industrial residual gasses by splitting them into hydrogen (H2) and carbon dioxide (CO2). The captured CO2 will be safely stored in empty gas fields in the North Sea or re-used as chemical building blocks.
“Blue hydrogen infrastructure and installations are also future proof for a hydrogen economy based on green hydrogen, obtained from water using solar and wind-energy driven electrolysis,” noted the port.
Alongside the Port of Rotterdam Authority, the companies involved in the study include Deltalinqs, TNO, Air Liquide, BP, EBN, Engie, Equinor, Gasunie, GasTerra, Linde, OCI Nitrogen, Shell, TAQA, Uniper and Koninklijke Vopak.
