Europe’s largest blue hydrogen plant set for 2026 launch

Air Products has announced plans to construct a cutting-edge carbon capture and carbon dioxide (CO2) processing facility at its hydrogen production site in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Slated to commence operations in 2026, this facility is poised to become Europe’s most extensive blue hydrogen plant.

The retrofit of the carbon capture technology will enable the capture of CO2 emissions from both Air Products’ hydrogen facility and ExxonMobil’s Rotterdam refinery. The captured CO2 will then be integrated into the Porthos project, the Netherlands’ pioneering large-scale CO2 transport and storage initiative. The Porthos system recently achieved final investment decision approval and will transport the CO2 to depleted gas fields in the North Sea for permanent storage.

This initiative is expected to reduce Air Products’ CO2 emissions in Rotterdam by more than 50%, marking a significant stride towards reducing the company’s direct emissions and contributing to the Dutch National Climate Agreement targets. Concurrently, Air Products is advancing plans to supply green hydrogen in the port of Rotterdam, derived from imported renewable energy sources.

The project is part of long-term agreements with ExxonMobil and the Dutch government. The blue hydrogen produced will support the transition of customers in industry and mobility sectors, while also preserving jobs in a vital industrial region.

Dr. Samir J. Serhan, chief operating officer of Air Products, remarked on the company’s longstanding investment in Rotterdam, emphasising the local industrial sector’s drive towards decarbonisation. The project aligns with this goal by sequestering CO2 and supplying blue hydrogen to ExxonMobil and other clients, fostering a cleaner future.

Edward Dekker Kleijn, Rotterdam site manager for ExxonMobil, highlighted the company’s commitment to achieving net-zero Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions from its operated assets by 2050. He praised the collaboration with Air Products as a model for industry cooperation in reducing carbon emissions in the Rotterdam port area.

Air Products, with a history spanning more than eight decades, is a global leader in industrial gases, focusing on energy, environmental, and emerging markets. The company’s sustainability-driven growth pillars include supplying essential industrial gases and developing major industrial gas and carbon-capture projects to support the energy transition. With fiscal 2022 sales of USD12.7 billion and operations in more than 50 countries, Air Products is dedicated to creating solutions that benefit the environment and address global challenges.