Will the hydrogen center on the GZI Next site near Emmen still be built? There have been plans for this since 2021, but the road to construction is a bumpy one, as it turns out. Initiator Shell initially expected to be able to make a decision on the necessary investment after the summer. This has now been postponed to 2026.
Shell does not do it alone. Behind the scenes, the oil giant is conducting exploratory discussions with other supporters from the world of energy: GroenkrachtNL and the Norwegian DNV. Research organization TNO is also joining in.
According to a Shell spokesperson, decisions will be made in the short term about the technical design and management. A final decision on the investment is not expected until 2026 at the earliest. But that stands or falls with the outcome of the current explorations.
Initially, the province of Drenthe put 1.6 million euros on the table for the construction of a hydrogen factory on the GZI Next site in Emmen. That subsidy was withdrawn because the plans were not making sufficient progress. Shell then decided to convert the concept into a test center, and the company started looking for partners who also wanted to contribute financially.
The idea is to research new technologies that will help in the future production of hydrogen. Because for now, production is simply too expensive.
The disadvantage is that the production of hydrogen is extremely expensive and therefore loses out to fossil fuels in terms of competition. The high production costs and limited demand ensure that potential buyers in the industry are still reluctant.
The test center must therefore provide space for manufacturers to test their own so-called electrolysers. With these systems, water can be split into acid and hydrogen.
“A manufacturer can test his machine on GZI Next for several months. We take care of everything necessary: water, power, storage, permits, internet, safety and data security,” says project leader Wouter Koopman. “For example, we check whether the device works well, can switch quickly and consumes little energy, even if circumstances change.”
What should ultimately lower the threshold so that hydrogen can be produced cheaper and on a larger scale is the underlying idea.