Nouryon and Dutch gas infrastructure company Gasunie are studying an expansion of their proposed green hydrogen unit to be built at Delfzijl in the Netherlands. The study follows a deal to convert sustainable electricity into green hydrogen for SkyNRG, a leading supplier of sustainable aviation fuel.

In January this year, Nouryon and Gasunie teamed up to investigate building a 20 megawatt water electrolysis unit to convert renewable electricity into 3,000 t/y of green hydrogen.  The hydrogen would be supplied to BioMCN for producing renewable methanol.

In view of the SkyNRG contract, the companies said they could scale the plant up to produce at least 60 megawatts, allowing for a conversion to 9,000 t/y of green hydrogen.

SkyNRG recently announced plans with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, fuels distributor SHV Energy and Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport to build the first dedicated facility in Europe for producing sustainable aviation fuel at Delfzijl. Green hydrogen would be combined with waste and residue streams, such as used cooking oil, to produce 100,000 t/y of sustainable aviation fuel and 15,000 t/y of bioLPG.

Nouryon said flying with sustainable aviation fuel reduces carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions by at least 85% compared to conventional kerosene and the output of the Delfzijl fuels plant would be equal to a reduction of 270,000 t/y of CO₂.

“Green hydrogen is a sustainable alternative to fossil-based raw materials and makes new forms of green chemistry possible – relevant for many markets in which we operate. This project is an important step in scaling up the electrolysis technology and supports long-term growth in the market for sustainably-produced hydrogen,” said Knut Schwalenberg, Nouryon’s managing director, industrial chemicals.

Nouryon and Gasunie expect to make a final investment decision on the first and original phase of the project in early 2020. A decision on the expansion to 60 megawattts is anticipated at the end of 2020.