The Netherlands is taking steps towards becoming a leading player in offshore renewable energy.
The Dutch government has announced its plans to develop additional energy hubs in the North Sea beyond 2030, which will facilitate the production and transportation of electricity and hydrogen to the country’s shores and those of its neighboring countries, including the UK, Denmark, Belgium, Germany, and Norway. The government has not yet finalized a roadmap to 2050 but is considering offshore wind targets of 50GW for 2040 and 70GW for 2050.
Power exchange in North Sea countries
According to a market update on offshore wind energy from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), the energy hubs will enable the interconnection and exchange of electricity with other North Sea countries, while also including the production of green hydrogen at sea and pipelines to transport hydrogen to shore. The North Sea energy infrastructure plan (EIPN), one of the four key policy documents driving North Sea developments for the Netherlands, will define the infrastructure requirements for offshore wind and hydrogen between 2030 and 2050, including the areas for the energy hubs. It is due for completion by early 2024 and will also define the capacity needs for hydrogen pipelines and electricity cables.
In March, the Dutch government announced its plan to develop a 500MW production facility to convert wind power into hydrogen in the North Sea, with a pilot project with an electrolysis capacity of 50-100MW set to be developed to test the technology. Additionally, a grant was awarded to the flexible offshore wind hydrogen power plant module (FlexH2) in 2021, a project aimed at combining offshore wind and onshore hydrogen production to provide greater flexibility to the power system.
Impacts on economy and environment
The Netherlands’ ambitious goals for offshore wind energy and hydrogen production can have significant impacts on the country’s economy and environment. By investing in offshore wind energy and hydrogen production, the country can reduce its reliance on fossil fuels and decrease its carbon footprint. The development of energy hubs in the North Sea can also contribute to the creation of new jobs and opportunities in the offshore renewable energy industry, which could ultimately drive economic growth.
