In the Wieringermeer, a large increase in both the use and production of electricity will be visible in the coming years. Even with the planned reinforcements, it is expected that the electricity grid will not be able to handle the expected growth. Hydrogen can offer a solution here.
The limited capacity of the network results in the energy transition and economic growth in the region stagnating because there will be insufficient capacity available for companies to establish themselves, to become more sustainable or to grow. In addition, there are several companies located in the region whose energy consumption is difficult to electrify with, for example, heat pumps and electric vehicles.
Examples are logistics companies and companies with high energy consumption such as greenhouse horticulture and data centers. For these users, hydrogen is one of the solutions to make the energy system more sustainable without further burdening the electricity grid.
The production and use of hydrogen in the region fits in with the provincial ambition to realize a hydrogen economy, creates employment and increases the economic activity of the region. In May 2023, the province of North Holland formally obtained the status of “Hydrogen Valley” from the European Commission and earlier Hollands Kroon, the West Frisian municipalities and transport companies signed the hydrogen in heavy mobility covenant. In addition, the European hydrogen backbone will cross Middenmeer, offering the possibility to feed in excess produced hydrogen or to supplement hydrogen shortages.
Given the increasing demand for energy, the sustainability ambitions and the (threat of) transport shortages, New Energy Coalition and Development Company NHN are closely involved in various local hydrogen initiatives.
In the project PUSH hydrogen producer HYGRO launched the concept of a 'hydrogen mill' together with TNO. The hydrogen mill is a windmill with an integrated electrolyser to produce hydrogen directly in the mill. The project results in a reduction of the costs in the hydrogen chain and promotes a faster adoption of the use of hydrogen in the heavy mobility sector.
HYGRO recently received almost 12 million euros in subsidies to help get the chain from sustainable hydrogen production to sales in road transport going.
Under the motto “from wind to wheel” a series of subprojects in the field of mobility are being worked on. For example, in 2022 a hydrogen filling station was built at AVIA Marees in Kolhorn, the first hydrogen station in the Kop van Noord Holland!
The hydrogen production at windmills and the supply of hydrogen to a total of 5 local hydrogen filling stations will provide enough hydrogen to power 50 to 80 hydrogen electric trucks in the region on green hydrogen. This is equivalent to 2,500 to 5,000 hydrogen electric passenger cars that drive 20,000 kilometers per year. These initiatives provide a nice glimpse into the energy infrastructure of the future.
Within the agricultural sector, there are also many opportunities for hydrogen. The question that many farmers in North Holland North are concerned with is how the current energy demand can be made more sustainable and how this renewable energy can be optimally used in an area that has been affected by grid congestion. Hydrogen could be the energy carrier that brings these two issues together.
In order to test these questions in practice, the field lab Hydrogen in Agri is being developed in the region. The field lab offers a practical environment for applications of hydrogen in the agricultural sector. Here, agricultural entrepreneurs gain practical experience with applications and infrastructure for the use of hydrogen, in close cooperation with knowledge institutions and governments.
Under the leadership of New Energy Coalition and Alliander, work is also being done on the development and realization of a local hydrogen ecosystem at Agriport A7. Ais part of this project sustainably generated electricity will be used to produce green hydrogen. This hydrogen will be stored on site and will be used on the one hand to reduce the fossil fuel consumption of data centers and on the other hand to provide regional gas station owners and companies with a sustainable energy carrier. In addition, the released residual heat from the electrolyser and the fuel cell will be fed into the local heating network of ECW Energy to reduce the natural gas consumption of greenhouse horticulture, companies and local residents.
The realisation of the hydrogen ecosystem fits in seamlessly with Hollands Kroon's ambition to be climate neutral by 2050 at the latest. In addition, the ecosystem creates additional employment in the area and promotes the future-proofing of the region.
The envisioned hydrogen ecosystem will be brought to reality in phases. In a first phase, which will be realized in mid-2025, green hydrogen will be purchased (for example from the HYGRO hydrogen mill) and used to replace diesel generators and to be able to offer real-time green power to data centers.
In the second phase – mid-2027 – the system will be expanded with its own electrolyser to produce the required hydrogen itself from green electricity. In the third phase – mid-2029 – the system will also supply other regional consumers (such as petrol station owners) with green hydrogen. In this configuration, the local hydrogen ecosystem will also be linked to the hydrogen backbone in order to balance the entire system.
