Den Helder as a starting point for the hydrogen economy

A consortium of eight parties – H2Gateway – had an exploratory analysis made of the possibilities for the production of blue hydrogen in the Dutch seaport city of Den Helder to create a Dutch and European CO ₂-free hydrogen economy. Centralized production of blue hydrogen, which can be offered and transported in a commercially attractive and secure way, plays a crucial and accelerating role in the transition to a green hydrogen economy in the Netherlands and Europe.

The port of Den Helder is well-positioned due to its unique location in the vicinity of the many (gas) platforms in the North Sea, the presence and potential reuse of the existing gas infrastructure, and its central position towards future wind farms in the North Sea.

A blue hydrogen plant aligns with the initial steps toward connecting industrial clusters and hubs in the Netherlands. It marks the beginning of a backbone through which green hydrogen will subsequently be transported. A blue hydrogen plant in Den Helder will contribute to the accelerated completion of the national and European hydrogen backbone.

From blue to green

In the Netherlands, large-scale projects have been announced focused on the production of green hydrogen. Several industrial clusters are now working on replacing their local fossil -gray- hydrogen production with blue and green hydrogen. This involves aligning generation with local hydrogen demand. These point-to-point solutions do not boost the construction of a hydrogen backbone, nor does the time horizon for green hydrogen.

The central production of blue hydrogen can play an accelerating role in the realization of a sustainable hydrogen economy. A national infrastructure accelerates the economic feasibility of CO2-free hydrogen and makes the 2030 reduction targets achievable.

European hydrogen backbone

Gas network operators from nine European countries (the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Denmark, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, Spain, and France) want to jointly establish a European hydrogen network. A report In this document, the participating countries present their vision for this network, known as the European Hydrogen Backbone. This document offers a perspective on the development of a European hydrogen market.

Carbon Capture Storage

In 2019, the European Union identified Carbon Capture Storage (CCS) as a necessary technology to achieve the 2030 climate goals. An infrastructure to transport and store the captured CO2 is essential for the production of blue hydrogen. The costs of transporting and storing CO2 are also a key factor in the business case for blue hydrogen. To establish a hydrogen network in the Netherlands and Europe, blue hydrogen production must take place at a central port location, Den Helder. From there, CO2 suitable for storage can be transported by pipeline to an offshore field.

Storage capacity

The amount of CO2 that needs to be stored in the coming decades is well within the Netherlands' total storage capacity, which is estimated at 1600 megatons for all offshore gas fields in the North Sea. To achieve climate goals, it is essential that the entire chain, from CO2 capture to storage, is economically viable. This feasibility is determined not only by the rates for transport and storage, but also by the costs of the capture process.

H2Gateway

The report 'Gateway to a CO2-free hydrogen economy' was initiated by H2Gateway, a partnership of eight parties consisting of the province of North Holland, the municipality of Den Helder, New Energy Coalition, GasTerra, GasUnie, NAM, Development Company Noord-Holland Noord and the Port of Den Helder. H2Gateway aims to provide a significant boost to achieving national climate goals.