Your guide to our hydrogen-based GreenZone innovation
Here, you will find answers to common questions about our innovative initiative that converts surplus energy into green hydrogen and its by-products. Discover how this project aims to decarbonize the Port of Hirtshals, tackle environmental challenges, and set a benchmark for sustainable energy systems in ports across Europe. Dive in to learn more about our goals, challenges, safety measures, and the benefits for the community and beyond.
Hydrogen is a chemical element with the symbol H and atomic number 1. Hydrogen is the lightest and most abundant element in the universe, making up 75 per cent of its elemental mass. Hydrogen is a fundamental building block and it plays a crucial role in various chemical and physical processes.
Hydrogen is highly reactive and it can form compounds with a wide range of elements, including oxygen, carbon, and metals. These are all compounds that are essential for life and various industrial processes. One of the most well-known compounds is water (H2O), where two hydrogen atoms are bonded to one oxygen atom.
Hydrogen as an energy carrier is interesting to the transition away from fossil fuels and the mitigation of climate change. When produced using renewable energy sources (such as solar, wind, or hydroelectric power), hydrogen can be a close to carbon-neutral fuel, with the only by-product of its use being water.
Since hydrogen must be produced based on other energy sources, it is considered an energy carrier rather than an energy source. Once produced, hydrogen can then be stored, transported, and later used in applications such as hydrogen fuel cells, ammonia production, biofuels, industrial metalworking and welding, and other applications.
Power-to-X means converting electricity to something else. In the CONVEY-project electricity which cannot immediately be absorbed by the grid, generated from existing wind turbines in the Port of Hirtshals, will be used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen through electrolysis. In this process heat is generated. Thus, the X in the CONVEY power-to-X process will be hydrogen and its by-products oxygen and heat.
The CONVEY project will demonstrate how to establish and operate an energy system, based on local produced green hydrogen and local offtake of the produced hydrogen as well as the by-products oxygen and heat. The system will save the environment from CO2 by displacing fossil fuel driven activities.
Through development of tools and establishing of a replication model, an effective knowledge transfer will be ensured, and other ports can use the replication model when implementing hydrogen-based energy systems.
CONVEY will be Europe’s first 100% renewable port hydrogen valley and demonstrate hydrogen’s integration into different end-user sectors.
2024: System design will be carried out based on the identification of needs with offtakers.
2024-2025: Requests for permits regarding construction, supply and distribution will be sent in.
2025-2026: Construction of connections, pipelines plus installation of electrolyser, storage and compressor.
2026-2028: Operation and demonstration of the ecosystem from renewables to offtake applications.
Ports are important connections hubs between maritime and terrestrial transport in distribution of goods, and ports are looking for ways to optimize as well as decarbonize. An estimated 90% of all traded goods are distributed via ocean shipping worldwide and shipping aims to halve its emission of greenhouse gases by 2050. Green hydrogen is predicted to play a vital role in this transformation, and ports are ideal locations to implement green hydrogen production and use.
The Port of Hirtshals is located in the windy north of Denmark with reliable green energy production potential from wind harvesting. At the same time the port is one of the major transport connections to Norway and an attractive location for various industries and logistic companies. The port is focusing its expansion on increasing the capacity of port operations as well as attracting companies and investments with focus on the green transition. This makes the port ideal for showcasing the potential of green hydrogen for decarbonization and establishment of a zero-waste green energy system.
While production of hydrogen based on power has been demonstrated on an industrial scale in previous projects – among these the Hybalance project – the CONVEY project will demonstrate a closed-loop ecosystem, where the supply of power is provided directly from local wind turbines and not from the grid, thus ensuring that the electrolysis is based on renewables and produces green hydrogen. As electricity availability from wind turbines varies, aligning the energy supply with users’ demand requires forecast capacity and advanced monitoring and digital management tools.
Furthermore, the CONVEY project will utilize the by-products from the electrolysis – oxygen and heat – thus avoiding energy waste, creating synergy, sector coupling and additional revenue streams increasing the profitability of the electrolyzer and speeding up the return of investment. This set-up as well requires a comprehensive model to ensure a reliable supply-chain.
Hydrogen is non-toxic, lighter that air and dissipates rapidly if released. At the same time hydrogen is a flammable gas when ignited. Hydrogen has been used in industry as a base chemical and in communities as town gas over many decades in bulk quantities. The level of experience and safety can be considered very high. The CONVEY facilities will be investigated by Danish authorities and all requirements dealing with safety will be met.
The CONVEY project has received 9 Mio Euro from the Clean Hydrogen Partnership. The grant is financed under EU’s research and innovation programme Horizon Europe under the call HORIZON-JTI-CLEANH2-2023 for Hydrogen Valleys. Total cost to project is 22 Mio Euro.
To ensure a longtime viability of the project, an innovative business model will be designed, considering a rapid upscaling of the system following the 5 year’s project. This also includes expected expansion of offshore wind platforms close to Hirtshals.
The Port of Hirtshals and the surrounding region will benefit from the project economically and socially in creation of jobs. The environment will be saved from CO2 by displacing fossil fuel driven activities.
The operators and the offtakers in the project will benefit economically in revenue and savings – and they will at the same time reduce their climate footprint.
Other ports and regions will benefit from the knowledge, the business model and the replication model of this holistic hydrogen ecosystem concept for converting ports into hydrogen valleys, which will be one of the important outcomes of the project. 155 European ports are estimated to be in the target group of ports that can replicate the CONVEY model.
Want to know more?
What is the purpose of CONVEY, its consortium set-up, application areas and how will the GreenZone come into operation at Port of Hirtshals?
