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Hyoffwind to build a green hydrogen facility in Flanders

Green hydrogen is crucial for a renewable energy economy, as a raw material for both industrial processes and a variety of mobility applications. The Hyoffwind consortium, consisting of Virya Energy and Fluxys, is partnering up with John Cockerill and BESIX to build a new production facility in Flanders that can convert electricity into green hydrogen. “With Hyoffwind, we are entering the next stage in the transition towards greener energy,” says Paul Tummers, CEO of Virya Energy.

Hyoffwind

Teamwork across the entire energy chain

In 2018, Belgian gas grid operator Fluxys and Virya Energy, the energy holding company established by Colruyt Group and Korys, joined forces to bolster the sustainability of the energy landscape in Belgium and Europe. Through the Hyoffwind project, the consortium is aiming to develop a power-to-gas facility that can convert up to 100 MW of renewable electricity into green hydrogen. This new hub will be built at the Zeebrugge port area of Flanders’ Port of Antwerp-Bruges. 

The next major step

After a call for tenders, the consortium chose John Cockerill as a technology partner and the Belgian group BESIX for the design and the construction of the facility. Both companies will bring in their multidisciplinary know-how and expertise to make this project a success. Construction work will start once the permit comes through, which is expected by mid-2022.

The government of Flanders has been supporting the project since 2020 because it fits perfectly with the region’s hydrogen strategy. That year, Hyoffwind received EUR 8 million in strategic ecological aid from the local government. Now, the government of Flanders will provide another EUR 23 million under the region’s recovery plan via the European call for hydrogen IPCEIs.

Flanders as a European green hydrogen hub

Together with John Cockerill and BESIX, the consortium partners are convinced that Hyoffwind can further help kickstart a hydrogen economy in Flanders. According to Virya Energy CEO Paul Tummers, “the development of green hydrogen is a crucial element toward an end-to-end green energy service offering. Hyoffwind wants to support that European hydrogen strategy.”

Pascal De Buck, CEO of Fluxys confirms this:

We want to be an active player in the energy transition in Belgium, with a view to making our country an import and transit hub in a Europe-wide hydrogen backbone.

Pascal De Buck
CEO of Fluxys

Learn more about sustainability initiatives in Flanders.

More info

Hyoffwind
Reported by
press release Port of Zeebrugge
2 May 2022

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