RWE, innogy to develop 100 MW hydrogen plant in the Netherlands

RWE and innogy are jointly examining the large-scale production of green hydrogen in the Province of Groningen. As a first step, the companies are now starting a feasibility study to build an up to 100 MW hydrogen plant on the site of RWE's Eemshaven power station. This is close to innogy’s Westereems Wind Farm, which will supply the green electricity. In this way, wind energy would be used to produce considerable volumes of green hydrogen.

In the coming months, RWE and innogy will first work out the feasibility of the hydrogen plant itself, in collaboration with other partners in the chain and with the regional and national authorities. Currently, the processes still require research and development. In addition, the regulatory framework has to be adapted since under current regulation the technology is not competitive yet. The first findings will be expected in the autumn.

With 52 turbines, Westereems Wind Farm, which is located next to the Eemshaven power station, is currently one of the largest onshore wind farms in the Netherlands. The wind facility can provide a perfect fit for a large scale demonstration project.

The Eemshaven power station in addition produces demineralised water that can be used for the conversion. In addition, electricity from biomass can also contribute to the production of green hydrogen when there is no wind. The combination makes it an interesting location for a hydrogen plant.