Air Products has made an exciting announcement regarding the construction of Europe’s largest blue hydrogen plant. They will be building a carbon capture and CO2 treatment facility at their existing hydrogen production plant in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. This state-of-the-art facility is expected to be operational in 2026 and will produce “blue” hydrogen for ExxonMobil’s Rotterdam refinery and other customers through Air Products’ hydrogen pipeline network.
The carbon capture retrofit will capture CO2 emissions from Air Products’ hydrogen plant and ExxonMobil’s Rotterdam refinery. This captured CO2 will be connected to the Porthos system, a consortium that is developing a large-scale CO2 transport and storage system in the Netherlands. The CO2 will then be transported to depleted gas fields in the North Sea and permanently stored at a depth of over three kilometers beneath the seabed.
By implementing the Porthos system, Air Products will be able to reduce their CO2 emissions in the port of Rotterdam by more than half. This is a significant step towards meeting the Dutch National Climate Agreement targets and reducing direct emissions in the short term. Additionally, Air Products is actively working on decarbonising its own operations and those of its customers by planning to offer green hydrogen sourced from imported renewable energy in the port of Rotterdam.
This project is part of long-term agreements with ExxonMobil and the Dutch State. The blue hydrogen produced by Air Products’ plant will support the transition to cleaner energy sources in various industries and mobility while also creating and maintaining jobs in the important industrial area.
Chief operating officer Dr. Samir J. Serhan highlighted Air Products’ commitment to realising synergies, driving energy efficiencies, and ultimately decarbonising. Through the sequestration of CO2 via the Porthos system and the provision of blue hydrogen to ExxonMobil and other customers, Air Products aims to contribute to a cleaner future.
ExxonMobil, with its goal of achieving net-zero Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions from its operated assets by 2050, expressed their enthusiasm for collaborating with Air Products to reduce their environmental footprint. They recognised the importance of Carbon Capture and Storage in achieving climate goals and praised this project as an example of how industries can work together to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the Rotterdam port area.
Overall, this initiative by Air Products is a significant step towards decarbonisation and sustainability in the energy sector. It demonstrates their dedication to creating a cleaner future and their commitment to collaborating with key stakeholders to achieve climate goals.
For more information visit www.airproducts.com
