"The CO₂ reduction targets in transport, heat supply and industry can only be achieved if progress is made in sector coupling, resulting in the use of zero-emissions energy sources. We are convinced that green hydrogen will be an important component of a secure and clean energy supply for these sectors," declared Roger Miesen, CEO of RWE Generation SE, when presenting the Eemshydrogen project. The project is part of scaling up and cost reduction in the production of green hydrogen. It contributes to the broad investment agenda of the Northern Netherlands for hydrogen, including users in various sectors, infrastructure and large scale storage.

RWE plans to build an electrolyser for the production of hydrogen on the Eemshaven power plant site. The unit has projected capacity of 50 megawatts and will be connected directly to RWE’s Westereems wind farm, one of the largest onshore wind farms in the Netherlands. The renewable power generated by the wind farm will be used to produce green hydrogen.

The Eemshydrogen project demonstrates the flexible use of an electrolyser linking weather-dependent electricity with industrial baseload hydrogen demand. The power station site provides synergies like security and operational services and leverages existing equipment for the production on demi water and cooling infrastructure. 

Chemical plants on the nearby industrial cluster in Delfzijl are potential buyers of the green hydrogen. It will partly replace the grey hydrogen that is currently produced from natural gas. This will contribute to the reduction of industrial carbon emissions. RWE is in discussions with Gasunie on the storage and transport of hydrogen, potentially by making use of existing natural gas infrastructure. 

RWE started a feasibility study in 2019 aimed at producing green hydrogen in Eemshaven. The resulting Eemshydrogen project is comprised of, in the first phase, the development and realisation of a 50 MW electrolyser in Eemshaven with a direct connection to RWE's Westereems onshore wind farm. Depending on market developments and regulations, the electrolysis capacity can be further scaled up. The green hydrogen produced by the installation can yield more than 250,000 tons of CO₂ savings over the project’s lifetime.

The Eemshaven power plant site is big enough to accommodate significant electrolyser capacity and the Delfzijl chemical cluster has a substantial need for hydrogen.

Hydrogen production in Eemshaven

• Construction of a 50 megawatt electrolyser planned, providing site synergies. 
• Electricity from RWE’s Westereems onshore wind farm will be used to produce green hydrogen.

Further advantages along the value chain

• Development of hydrogen infrastructure, potentially making use of existing natural gas infrastructure, is being supported.
• Local chemical plants are the potential buyers of the hydrogen.