Blue hydrogen a real option Noord-Nederland to make it more sustainable
Noord-Nederland sees blue hydrogen as a viable route to sustainability, that is the conclusion of the report "Towards a first regional industrial hydrogen cluster around East Groningen" that was presented today to Barbara Verwayen, cluster director of Cluster 6. A broad consortium of diverse players from Noord-Nederland published a report containing a feasibility study on developing a regional hydrogen cluster around IndustrieCluster Oost-Groningen (IC-OG). This would make IC-OG the first industrial Cluster 6 in the Netherlands to run its production processes on hydrogen.
Cluster 6 is a collection of industrial companies located throughout the Netherlands that manufacture products, or components thereof, for everyday use. These production sites fall outside the five major industrial clusters included in the Climate Agreement, but are still required to become more sustainable. Today, all Cluster 6 companies gathered at a national meeting of Nederland Hydrogenland (The Netherlands Hydrogen Land) to discuss, among other things, greening their businesses through hydrogen. The report "Towards a First Regional Industrial Hydrogen Cluster around East Groningen" was presented on behalf of the entire regional hydrogen value chain around IC-OG. The companies hope not only to quickly develop a fully-fledged hydrogen cluster themselves but also to help other clusters develop it. This is because they all face a shared challenge: further sustainability.
Why hydrogen?
Nedmag, based in Veendam, is one of the companies that is part of IC-OG. Director of Operations At Plasman explains: “For some of our processes, electrification is technically unfeasible, and alternatives like green gas are unavailable, making hydrogen the logical path to sustainability. At the same time, prolonged grid congestion and uncertainty about fully fossil-free electricity mean that companies need climate-friendly, affordable, and reliable alternatives. By blending hydrogen as a fuel, we can start quickly with limited adjustments and, as IC-OG companies, boost the hydrogen economy and the region.”
From blue to green
Companies from the consortium that worked on the report want to replace their natural gas consumption as quickly as possible with primarily affordable, low-carbon hydrogen, also known as blue hydrogen, produced in the Groningen-Drenthe region. This is expected to lead the region to develop one of the country's first large-scale regional hydrogen clusters. This can serve as a model for a further accelerated national and European rollout of hydrogen to Cluster 6 and other industries. Green hydrogen—hydrogen without CO2 emissions—is essential for the long-term energy transition, but the energy transition demands speed and realism. By initially deploying cheaper blue hydrogen across the region, thanks in part to an initial phase involving hydrogen blending, rapid steps can be taken and the way paved for green hydrogen. "Anyone who wants to accelerate CO₂ reduction in industry now cannot ignore blue hydrogen," says Hans Coenen, Executive Board member of Gasunie. "It can be deployed quickly, is cost-competitive with electrification, and forms the bridge to affordable green hydrogen."
Regional hydrogen market
The transition of the East Groningen Industrial Cluster to hydrogen is an important step for the region. Erik Jan Bennema, member of the Provincial Executive of Groningen, says: “The East Groningen Industrial Cluster (IC-OG) and other northern industrial clusters face a major sustainability challenge, and as a province, we support companies in their energy and raw material transition. Low-carbon hydrogen offers a realistic and affordable route to replacing natural gas and simultaneously kick-starting the regional hydrogen market. This report underscores the need for collaboration between companies, infrastructure providers, and government agencies to take this step in a timely and responsible manner.”
Presentation of the report
About the report
The report 'Towards a first regional industrial hydrogen cluster around East Groningen' was prepared by New Energy Coalition in coordination with: EBN, Enexis, ENGIE, Equinor, Gasunie, the companies united in IC-OG, Northgrid, the Province of Groningen and RWE.