Power plant operator Onyx has announced plans to develop a 1.2GW blue hydrogen project near its coal power plant in the port of Rotterdam. The firm estimates the project will produce 300,000t/yr of hydrogen and capture 2.5mn t/yr of CO₂ via CCS.

Onyx is working towards an environmental impact assessment and plans to commission the project by 2028.

The company tells Hydrogen Economist that CO₂ emissions will be captured by the project onsite before being transported via pipeline and stored offshore by a third party. Onyx is in discussions with potential partners.

The EU has prioritised renewable hydrogen in its policy to date. Onyx argues blue hydrogen is “a necessary step to rapidly reduce CO₂ emissions from energy-intensive industries”, as green hydrogen is unlikely to be available in large volumes at a competitive price in the near term. The company adds that blue allows for demand creation, enabling industries to “gradually transition from blue to green hydrogen as the energy transition progresses”.

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Author: Polly Martin