Port of Rotterdam ups 2030 hydrogen supply to 4.6Mt

Based on specific projects and realistic plans the Port of Rotterdam estimates it could supply 4.6Mt of hydrogen into Europe annually by 2030.

The projects and plans are from 70 companies and exporting countries in the Americas, Africa and Asia.

With the volume considerably more than expected – a previous estimate was for around 1.5Mt – these represent a concrete implementation of heightened European ambitions, according to a statement. These include an almost fourfold increase in the production and import of hydrogen to 20Mt envisioned in the REPowerEU plan from the 5.6Mt of ‘Fit for 55’.

However, two pre-conditions are crucial to get the hydrogen economy underway, according to the parties.

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The first is hydrogen certification, with green hydrogen imported from outside Europe having to be certified as green in the region.

The second is closing the financial gap between the use of renewable and low carbon hydrogen and its derivatives compared to their currently cheaper CO2 emitting alternatives.

“Using sustainable hydrogen substantially contributes to the European objectives of reducing climate change and increasing Europe’s energy independence,” says Allard Castelein, CEO of the Port of Rotterdam Authority.

“With the production and import of renewable and low carbon hydrogen we build a sustainable future.”

Hydrogen production

Many companies are working on projects to produce hydrogen in northwestern Europe with green power or to do this at locations with more sunshine, wind and space, the statement notes.

On the local production front, the Port of Rotterdam states that several companies are working on concrete projects aimed at launching large-scale production of electrolytic hydrogen powered by North Sea wind power between 2024 and 2026. A project to produce low carbon hydrogen from refinery gas is also underway. This would mean a total of 0.6Mt of hydrogen could be produced locally by 2030.

The balance will come from imports from countries such as Iceland, Chile, South Africa and Australia, indeed anywhere where there is abundant renewables potential and space for infrastructure. The first import projects of hydrogen and its derivatives are estimated to add up to at least 4Mt in 2030.

The supply of such large volumes of hydrogen will require a pipeline infrastructure. The Port statement says this will begin as an infrastructure within coastal industrial clusters and between ports and inland industrial clusters, allowing the transport of hydrogen from Rotterdam to steel, chemical, cement and industries at large as well as to filling stations to fuel trucks and barges.

The Port anticipates the green hydrogen throughput could reach 18-20Mt by 2050.