BP is studying the feasibility of deploying a 250MW electrolyser at its Rotterdam refining complex to supply green hydrogen feedstock for the production of 10,000bl/d of sustainable aviation fuel.

The project is in addition to the existing 250MW H2-Fifty project at the port of Rotterdam, which will produce 50,000t/yr of hydrogen to decarbonise the refinery. BP and project partner Dutch hydrogen development company Hycc expect to make FID on H2-Fifty next year.

Plans for the second electrolyser at Rotterdam emerged as BP said it had bid for two Dutch offshore wind leases with a potential capacity of 1.4GW. It said it would use the output of the windfarms to power a total 500MW of electrolyser capacity at Rotterdam, as well as for electrification of other processes at the refinery and for electric-vehicle (EV) charging.

BP’s bid is for the rights to develop the Hollandse Kust Wind Farm Zone sites VI and VII, located approximately 53km off Holland’s west coast and covering 176km².

“We will apply BP’s integrated energy company strategy to integrate green energy supply and demand across the energy system” Dotzenrath, BP

The company’s plan to use the power at its Rotterdam complex means winning the tender would enable €2bn ($2.1bn) of clean energy investment in the Netherlands, BP says in support of its bid.

In addition to the electrolysers, BP would use the power for a new electric-powered boiler and super heater for the refinery. It would also install a utility-scale battery. Elsewhere, power from the windfarms would feed newly developed flexible EV-charging stations with integrated batteries and low-carbon multi-energy logistics hubs.

“Delivering a net-zero future demands more than just generating renewable power offshore —we need to create an integrated energy system with renewables at its centre. We plan on doing just that in the Netherlands,” says Anja-Isabel Dotzenrath, BP’s executive vice-president of gas and low-carbon energy.

“This includes using offshore wind power to electrify industry and mobility, and also using renewable power to produce green hydrogen to help to decarbonise hard-to-electrify sectors such as aviation, refining and heavy-duty mobility.”

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Author: Stuart Penson