Twelve companies in the region, led by Brainport Development and the municipality of Eindhoven, will investigate whether it is possible to install a hydrogen network. Such a network should help against shortages on the electricity grid.
The feasibility study, in which Enexis and the province of North Brabant are also involved, should show whether green hydrogen can replace natural gas as an energy source in addition to wind and solar energy.
With the possible construction of a hydrogen network, the industry wants to relieve the burden on the power network in the region. This power network is under heavy pressure due to the energy transition and the war in Ukraine, which has stopped importing Russian natural gas.
Power network
“In the Netherlands, we are working hard on transitioning from fossil fuels to sustainable alternatives, such as generating electricity through sun and wind,” assures Brainport Development.
“Many companies in the Netherlands are taking steps towards sustainability, transitioning to electricity in their transportation and production processes. However, the generation of solar and wind energy depends on the weather and could vary immensely. This together places an additional burden on the electricity network.”
Waiting time
“Due to the pressure on the electricity grid, companies have to wait longer for a larger or new connection. Rather than electricity, a switch to green hydrogen could be a solution. This is especially interesting for energy-intensive industries because electrification is not always easy,” he said.
Other regions in the Netherlands are also working towards establishing a local hydrogen network. “We now also want to explore the possibilities of such a local hydrogen infrastructure in the Eindhoven region,” explains Annemiek Bles, Energy program manager at Brainport Development.
Research
The municipality of Eindhoven has been in contact with various companies in the past year. These discussions resulted in twelve interested companies participating in a study to see whether a hydrogen network is profitable.
These twelve companies are DAF Trucks, VDL Groep, Eindhoven Airport, Rendac Son, HTL-DHT Eindhoven, Verzinkerij Meerveldhoven, Prysmian Group, Weber Beamix, High Tech Campus Eindhoven, KWS Asfaltcentrale Eindhoven, Dutch Bakery and TNO Powertrains Test Center in Helmond.
The feasibility study is carried out by the Belgian/Dutch knowledge platform WaterstofNet.
For Eindhoven News: Beena Arunraj
