Developed by Virya Energy in partnership with HyoffGreen and Messer, the project is said to represent a milestone in Belgium’s green energy transition.

As disclosed, the facility is set to convert renewable electricity from local wind parks into green hydrogen, which will be stored and distributed to support industrial and mobility applications.

Strategically located in Zeebrugge, close to offshore wind parks and key industrial partners, the unit is expected to have an initial production capacity of 25 MW, with the potential to scale up to 100 MW in the future.

The project is scheduled to produce the first hydrogen molecules by mid-2026, and once operational, it will, reportedly, contribute to an annual CO2 reduction of 25,000 tonnes per year.

John Cockerill, BESIX and BESIX Environment are leading the engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning and start-up of the plant.

Raphaël Tilot, CEO of John Cockerill Hydrogen, commented: “This groundbreaking ceremony marks the beginning of a new phase that demonstrates the collective will to roll out this energy transition project, which will be equipped with John Cockerill Hydrogen’s alkaline electrolysers produced in our European factory. The site is taking shape and all the teams are looking forward to continuing the important work, with the ultimate aim of producing green hydrogen, which will be useful for decarbonising industry and transport.”

Mark Beyst, General Manager, BESIX Belgium-Luxembourg, stated: “Hyoffwind stands at the forefront of Europe’s green hydrogen initiatives. BESIX Group, with its extensive experience in complex industrial projects, is proud to contribute to this landmark development… We are thrilled to move into the execution phase.”

Adrien Theunissen, General Manager, BESIX Environment, added: “For Hyoffwind, the synergy between BESIX, BESIX Environment, John Cockerill, and Virya Energy, along with the determination, strong commitment, and motivation of everyone involved, ensures that this project will set a benchmark in the decarbonisation of our economies.”

To remind, John Cockerill and BESIX signed an agreement to build the green hydrogen production unit in Zeebrugge at the beginning of 2022.