Surplus wind power could soon light and heat Belgian homes thanks to a planned hydrogen plant on the North Sea coast, set to be the world’s first commercial-scale project of its type.
 
The project in the Port of Ostend will only use wind power that is not absorbed by Belgium’s electricity grid, fuelling a hydrogen-producing electrolyser exclusively with renewable energy, the project’s backers announced on Monday (27 January).
 
Hydrogen is produced via electrolysis – splitting water into its hydrogen and oxygen components – and can then be used to power vehicles, run industrial processes and generate electricity. When burned, it or used in a fuel cell, the only by-product is water vapour.
 
Using renewable energy means the gas can be classed as ‘green hydrogen’, as opposed to ‘blue hydrogen’ which is normally produced using a fossil fuel as a basis. The vast majority of hydrogen produced globally is blue, according to the International Energy Agency.
 
In order to increase green hydrogen’s usage, the idea of linking electrolysers to wind farms has long been proposed and is known in the sector as power-to-gas coupling. But it has been held back by sheer cost.