A new resource that can boast 45,000 tons a year in production needs to be taken seriously. And several new projects in Europe have started the process of eliminating our reliance on oil and gas. The fact that it is right beneath the sea only makes this new development more exciting. TotalEnergies and Air Liquide plan to develop two projects that will deliver about 45,000 t/year of green hydrogen for our ever-growing energy needs. Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe and only requires some special attention to become the fuel of the future.
The Netherlands has become the home of renewable energy production
That can only become a reality when the system comes online, and like Skynet in the Terminator, it could change the world forever, only this time in a positive way. TotalEnergies has signed agreements with Air Liquide to develop two projects that could aim to tap into the natural reserves of hydrogen sitting in the sea just waiting for us to find them.
The power will be generated mostly by the OranjeWind offshore wind farm in the Dutch North Sea, and plans to transport the green hydrogen via a pipeline inland towards the Hydrogen Network Rotterdam grid. It forms part of the new trajectory that the Netherlands is heading towards in sustainable energy solutions that meet and exceed the world’s energy needs.
The joint venture plans to construct and operate a 250-MW electrolyzer near the Zeeland refinery in the southern Netherlands, which could be commissioned in 2029, and reduce the site’s CO2 emissions by up to 300,000 t/year. Those are some impressive numbers that will surely drive the world’s big oil companies absolutely insane.
The world is pivoting towards hydrogen as the fuel of the future
Our reliance on fossil fuels needs to end; we are all acutely aware of that truth. Uncomfortable as it may be, the truth hardly spares a moment to consider how we might feel. But the new joint venture is a step towards a sustainable future that all of us, and our descendants, can enjoy and be an active part of. The project has been given the green light and has the world eagerly awaiting the first phase.
To make the deal even sweeter, TotalEnergies has signed a tolling agreement for 130 MW to be dedicated to producing 15,000 t/year of green hydrogen for the TotalEnergies platform in Antwerp. So the project is aiming to enter the rest of Europe as well. How will the Europeans react to a whole new mode of energy production that comes from the sea?
While the Netherlands is a small country, they have significant interests in renewable and sustainable energy production, and no matter who you ask, hydrogen is the most viable fuel source for the world’s needs. We just need a practical method of extraction and storage, and then we are off to the races, as they say. It’s a promising sign to see some of the world’s largest energy companies making significant investments in sustainable energy.
The project is a lot closer to becoming a reality than you might think
While the announcement is a promising sign for the future of the renewable energies sector, one might ask when such an ambitious project might get off the ground. The answer might surprise you, as the project is set to be operational by the end of 2027. So step aside, oil and gas, and welcome the new kid on the block, hydrogen. The only factor that might be a problem is who to bring on board in the project, as several companies and countries all over the globe have expressed interest.
