A revision of Belgium’s federal hydrogen strategy has been proposed by Prime Minister Alexander De Croo during a visit to the Port of Antwerp-Bruges. The amendment contains the development of a federal hydrogen council, which will align with the government’s broader energy objective of achieving climate neutrality. The Port of Antwerp-Bruges will play a crucial role in facilitating Belgium to become the hydrogen hub of Europe, through its strategy and projects for the importation, production, and throughput of green hydrogen.

New insights into green hydrogen’s role in the energy transition

As part of Belgium’s clean energy transition to a carbon-neutral society, the federal hydrogen strategy was approved late last year. Hydrogen has a vital role in the energy transition and is necessary for guaranteeing the country’s sustainability. To ensure that the country can successfully transition to a zero-emission society, Belgium requires not only renewable energy, but a large amount of renewable hydrogen. Green hydrogen is produced locally but will mainly have to be imported in large quantities. The country has the potential to position itself as an import and transit hub for green hydrogen in Europe.

The Port of Antwerp-Bruges’ vital role

Belgium is located at the heart of various significant industrial clusters and at an energy crossroads in the centre of Europe. The country has the potential to become the hydrogen hub of Western Europe, due to the strategic location of its ports, the expertise of innovative companies, research centres and educational institutions, and the infrastructure and industry already in place.

green hydrogen

The Port of Antwerp-Bruges is a world port and envisions itself in the import, local production, processing, and throughput of green hydrogen and hydrogen carriers.

Belgium cannot produce the required quantities of green hydrogen on its own due to a lack of space. Imports of green hydrogen and hydrogen carriers from areas that have a significant amount of space, as well as sufficient wind and sun, will therefore be necessary to supplement local production.

Hydrogen and hydrogen carriers are carried to Europe by various modes of transport, such as pipelines, rail, and inland waterways. Therefore, it is essential to have good infrastructures, such as open-access hydrogen pipelines and terminals. Because of this, the port is aiming to expand terminal capacity for existing and new hydrogen carriers at both port sites. The government is also funding a network of hydrogen pipelines that will connect ports to Belgian industrial areas and Germany by 2028.

Fuente: Innovation News Network