With an annual production and consumption of nearly 600 ktonnes of hydrogen, the Zeeland industry is the leader in the Benelux. Since the lion's share of this hydrogen is still produced with natural gas, this releases a lot of CO₂. Green hydrogen will replace natural gas in the coming years and will play a crucial role in drastically reducing CO₂ emissions in the southwestern Netherlands.
Green Hydrogen In Terneuzen and Vlissingen
VoltH2 envisions two green hydrogen plants, one in Terneuzen and one in Vlissingen. Each of these two plants will produce about 2,000 tons of green hydrogen annually from 2026, avoiding about 17,000 tons of CO₂ emissions. In a second phase, starting in 2028, the plants will be scaled up from 25 MW to 125 MW, producing 10,000 tons of green hydrogen and saving about 85 kton CO₂ annually.
Helping reduce CO₂ emissions for local industry and heavy transportation was the first condition for claiming the Just Transition Fund. VoltH2 will receive 20 million euros for the two plants together.
Two 150 kV connections with substations
A necessary prerequisite for the production of green hydrogen is an electricity connection with sufficient capacity. With the support of the Just Transition Fund , VoltH2 plans to build two 150 kV connections with substations.
n Vlissingen costs run high because of the long route toward the high-voltage substation and the drilling required to cross dikes, roads, railroads and other cables and pipelines.
In Terneuzen, the hydrogen plant and the existing high-voltage substation are even located on different sides of the canal, there the connection must cross the Ghent-Terneuzen canal. An additional plus point is that some smaller companies near VoltH2 will also be able to get a connection to this cable relatively easily.