The Dutch government has reaffirmed its commitment to prioritising the development of hydrogen and carbon dioxide pipelines, even after delays announced in June 2024 pushed the projects back by approximately four years.
Boudewijn Siemons, CEO of the Port of Rotterdam Authority, praised the decision however, claiming the infrastructure is essential for industrial clusters in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, Germany and Northwest Europe.
“It underlines the urgency of offering the industry a future,” he said. “Infrastructure precedes the investments in sustainability. It is excellent that this clarity has been provided.”
Whilst the Delta Rhine Corridor (DRC) was originally scheduled for completion in 2028, H2 View understands that the aim is now to have the hydrogen pipeline implemented in 2031-32 and the CO2 infrastructure in 2032-33.
Read more:Construction begins on Gasunie’s Dutch national hydrogen network
Initial pipeline plans began in 2021 with a feasibility study examining the construction of four new pipelines for hydrogen, CO2, propane and C4-LPG, connecting Rotterdam to Chemelot and North Rhine-Westphalia.
Additional transportation options were also examined, such as using ammonia as a hydrogen carrier. However, this option is currently outside the project’s immediate scope and will remain under consideration, with more research and planning required.
The infrastructure project is a collaborative effort between several partners, including BASF, Gasunie, Open Grid Europe and Shell.
The Port of Rotterdam reiterated online the need for hydrogen and CO2 infrastructure to be implemented.
“We will continue to work with stakeholders to accelerate where possible. The hydrogen pipeline needs to be constructed quickly to get the hydrogen market going,” they wrote.
“It is important news for companies currently considering investing in the production, storage and/or purchase of hydrogen.”
Pipeline infrastructure development has faced significant challenges over the past year, with insufficient demand emerging as a major obstacle for project developers.
Last October, Energinet pushed back its plans to construct a hydrogen pipeline connecting Denmark and Germany from 2028 to 2031.
Read more:Denmark-Germany hydrogen pipeline faces three-year delay
The Danish state-owned transmission system operator (TSO) said that despite “large potential” for the infrastructure, projects with “significantly different degrees of maturity” forced it to delay the development.
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