Hydrogen to Maasvlakte ​

The Uniper Energy Hub Maasvlakte is versatile and strategically located. All the necessities for a successful energy transition comes together here - energy from offshore wind farms, a port suitable for the import of green fuels, and pivotal infrastructure such as the high-voltage grid and the future hydrogen pipeline (built together by GasUnie and Port of Rotterdam as HyNetwork Services). Uniper's Energy Hub plays an important role in the Netherlands. We produce up to 7% of the total electricity demand. In addition, we make green electricity for half a million households and we save more than a million tons of CO2 every year. The MPP3 plant, one of the production units at this Energy Hub, has a capacity of 1,070 MW and runs on coal, biomass and residual flows from surrounding industry. The MPP3 power plant produces electricity and steam. The Uniper Energy Hub also includes various gas-fired production facilities and a large hybrid battery. In the coming years, Uniper will develop applications with green hydrogen and bio-fuels at this location, among other things, and will continue to make an important contribution to a stable energy supply in the Netherlands in our vision of the future of a CO2 neutral 2035.

Green hydrogen will facilitate the energy transition for the petro-chemical, mobility, power and heating industries. In the Netherlands, the momentum for hydrogen is growing and, in addition, hydrogen forms one of the key pillars in Uniper’s strategy towards a climate neutral portfolio in Europe by 2035.

Maasvlakte – Future of Hydrogen

Uniper’s Maasvlakte site is one of the most convenient locations to realize a large scale green H2 project as it offers multiple synergies including:

• Sufficient land available for large scale green hydrogen production;
• Making use of existing infrastructures: grid connections, demineralized water, natural gas network (could initially be used to blend H2), and cooling water system from existing power generation assets;
• Opportunities to recycle residual heat that is released during H2 production;
• Offshore wind developments of 3.5 - 5.5 GW landing at the neighboring TSO substation (TenneT) within this decade;
• Avoid grid expansion costs and (seasonal) balancing of the grid by converting electricity into H2;
• Rotterdam H2 network (Port of Rotterdam & Gasunie) passing by (<3 km) from 2023. Which will be integrated, in the long term, to the National H2 backbone towards neighboring Germany (HY3);
• PoR is surrounded by chemical industry H2 consumers currently using grey Hydrogen that will need to decarbonize to achieve the EU targets;
• Hydrogen import, from 2030 onwards, a large share of which will be required H2 for Rotterdam and the surrounding area, as well as neighboring countries, is likely to be via the PoR.

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A feasibility study together with PoR has been completed. The focus of the feasibility study was to assess the development of an industrial scale 500MWel green hydrogen production facility at Uniper’s Maasvlakte site with full operations before 2030. The 500MWel is planned to be developed in a modular phased approach. The feasibility study also focuses on midstream hydrogen value chain activities including an assessment of hydrogen import terminal at the Uniper’s Maasvlakte site in various forms (liquid hydrogen and/or ammonia and/or methanol and/or other derivatives).

More information:

• Cooperation Uniper and Port of Rotterdam Authority in production green hydrogen
• Uniper and PoR start feasibility study for green hydrogen plant at Maasvlakte