Gasunie subsidiary Hynetwork has connected the first hydrogen plant to the Dutch hydrogen network. The customer connection’s so-called ‘golden weld’ was made between the 200 MW Holland Hydrogen 1 plant at the Rotterdam Maasvlakte and the hydrogen pipeline. The connection work was performed by contractor Hanab. This is the first time a green hydrogen producer has been connected directly to the national hydrogen infrastructure. It signifies another step in the development of the hydrogen network interconnecting Dutch industry and connecting it to industry abroad. This is a key condition for the decarbonisation of industry in the Netherlands and north-western Europe.

The connection follows the successful completion of the first 32 kilometres of hydrogen pipeline earlier this year, after filling it with green hydrogen and bringing it to the correct pressure. The hydrogen pipeline was constructed by Hynetwork and largely runs parallel to the A15, inside an existing energy corridor where other key infrastructure is also clustered, including the CO2 pipeline used for the Porthos project.

Close collaboration with Porthos

The development of this first hydrogen pipeline route took place in close collaboration with the Porthos project. Over a stretch of 19 kilometres, the hydrogen pipeline and the CO2 pipeline are only 40 centimetres apart.

Jan Willem Rongen, Project Manager Rotterdam Hydrogen Network (Hynetwork): “We set up the projects to ensure that we stayed out of each other’s way as much as possible. Intensive collaboration between Hynetwork, Porthos and its construction partners HANAB and Denys enabled us to coordinate schedules, resolve problem areas and ensure safety together. This collaboration was essential to our success: it was a huge achievement from us all.”

Basis for growing hydrogen network

This first connection represents a significant step forwards in the development of a national hydrogen network. The infrastructure will be further expanded over the coming years by adding new producers and consumers. Our aim is to build on this first connection in the port of Rotterdam and create a national and, ultimately, an international network connecting industrial clusters in north-western Europe.

About Gasunie

Gasunie is a European energy infrastructure company. Gasunie’s network is one of the largest pressure pipeline networks in Europe, comprising over 17,000 kilometres of pipeline in the Netherlands and northern Germany. Gasunie provides natural and green gas transport services through its subsidiaries, Gasunie Transport Services B.V. (GTS) in the Netherlands and Gasunie Deutschland in Germany. With its crossborder gas infrastructure and services, Gasunie facilitates TTF, which has become a leading European gas trading point. Gasunie also provides other gas infrastructure services, including gas storage and LNG. Gasunie wants to help accelerate the transition to a CO2 neutral energy supply and believes that gas related innovations, for instance in the form of renewable gases such as hydrogen and green gas, can make an important contribution. Both existing and new gas infrastructure play a key role here. Gasunie also plays an active part in the development of other energy infrastructure to support the energy transition.