First Hydrogen Valley Airport in Europe

Groningen Airport Eelde's hydrogen ambitions

Groningen Airport Eelde, through its NXT Airport initiative, focuses on making aviation and airports more sustainable. Collaborating with educational institutions, businesses, and government agencies, projects are being developed to develop sustainability innovations. The focus is primarily on hydrogen technology. The airport's ambition is to produce green hydrogen on the airport grounds and use it for innovative applications both landside and airside.

Hydrogen infrastructure

GroenLeven has constructed a 21,9 MW solar farm between the runway, apron, and taxiway at Groningen Airport Eelde. Groningen Airport Eelde and GroenLeven intend to use this to produce green hydrogen at the airport using electrolysis. This green hydrogen can then be used in many ways. For example, the plan is to build a multi-fuel filling station that will serve both landside and airside. The landside station will for example be used for passenger cars, trucks, and regional buses. In the future, the airside station will be used for ground support equipment, hydrogen drones, and hydrogen aircraft.

Ground handling Groningen Airport Eelde emission-free in 2030

Groningen Airport Eelde aims to achieve completely emission-free ground handling by 2030. The airport intends to primarily utilise hydrogen-powered applications to achieve this. Together with Holthausen Clean Technology, they are exploring the conversion of existing equipment and the development of innovative hydrogen-powered ground equipment, which is not yet commercially available.

Collaboration New Energy Coalition

Marieke Abbink-Pellenbarg, CEO of New Energy Coalion, is pleased with the collaboration: “New Energy Coalition connects parties for an accelerated transition to a sustainable energy economy. In addition to road, water, and rail transport, we can now also include air transport in the Hydrogen Valley. This is a very valuable addition and strengthens the position of the Hydrogen Valley, the testing ground for hydrogen development in Noord-Nederland. We will use our expertise to help Groningen Airport Eelde achieve its ambition to become Europe's most sustainable and hydrogen-powered airport.

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