Norwegian Hydrogen establishes large hydrogen production facility at Port of Hirtshals

The Norwegian company Norwegian Hydrogen will establish a hydrogen production facility at Port of Hirtshals. This comes after a consortium received a grant of approximately DKK 67 million from the EU's research and innovation programme Horizon Europe. The goal is to produce at least 500 tonnes of green hydrogen per year.

Norwegian Hydrogen will lead the CONVEY project, aiming to establish an integrated hydrogen ecosystem at Port of Hirtshals. The project will utilize renewable energy from local wind turbines to produce green hydrogen, thereby contributing to carbon removal from energy production. The project includes the construction of a 5 MW electrolysis plant, a large refuelling station for heavy transport, and distribution networks for hydrogen, oxygen, and heat. By focusing on circularity principles, the project ensures that all elements of the process are efficiently and sustainably utilized.

"Norwegian Hydrogen is setting a benchmark for the development of green hydrogen development in the Nordic region. Through the CONVEY project, we aim to significantly contribute to the transition towards a low-carbon economy throughout in the entire region, reinforcing our commitment to innovation and environmental stewardship in the hydrogen sector," says Jens Berge, CEO of Norwegian Hydrogen

Port of Hirtshals has been working towards establishing hydrogen production on-site, and it is therefore particularly gratifying that Norwegian Hydrogen will build a facility at the port.

"We have a clear ambition to become a hub for the production and consumption of green energy. Therefore, the establishment of a large hydrogen facility at the port aligns perfectly with our strategy. The agreement with Norwegian Hydrogen signifies another step towards becoming the greenest port in Europe", says Per Holm Nørgaard, CEO of Port of Hirtshals.

In addition to Norwegian Hydrogen and Port of Hirtshals, several other partners are involved in the collaboration on hydrogen production project in Hirtshals. Each partner will contribute their expertise in hydrogen production, logistics, transport, and energy system optimization.

At the EU's Clean Hydrogen Partnership, which aims to accelerate the development and implementation of green hydrogen technologies in Europe, there are also high expectations for the new facility in Hirtshals and the interdisciplinary collaboration. The experiences gained from Hirtshals will be leveraged for similar projects in the future.

Port of Hirtshals is actively planning for the upcoming port expansion, aiming to attract more companies specializing in the production of environmentally friendly fuels for shipping, Power-to-X, or other green technologies.