INEOS Olefins Belgium joins Fluxys project

The European Commission considers hydrogen essential for becoming carbon-neutral. When hydrogen is used as a fuel, it is carbon-free and essentially only water vapour is emitted. It is also an important raw material for the chemical industry.

Project ONE, the investment project for the construction of an ethane cracker on the right bank in the Port of Antwerp, could play a significant role in the dimensioning of the hydrogen network in Antwerp. Depending on the future transition to net zero emissions and the scenario chosen, the plant has the potential to take around 100 000 t of hydrogen off the grid.

Ralf Gesthuisen, Technology Manager of Project ONE: "We have identified several technological paths for Project ONE that would allow us to further reduce our emissions and achieve the transition to climate neutrality. One of them is to use more hydrogen as a fuel for our cracker's furnaces and steam boilers. From day 1 of the start-up of our plant, we have been able to meet 60% of the heat demand with the high volumes of hydrogen from the cracking process. If we gain access to more low-carbon hydrogen in the future, we can increase this to 100% and bring the emissions of Project ONE to net zero. Our participation in Fluxys' feasibility study brings us one step closer to making this a reality."

Raphaël De Winter, Director Business Development & Innovation at Fluxys: "With Fluxys we are fully committed to helping develop a well-functioning market for hydrogen quickly. This requires an open access grid to which everyone can connect on an equal footing so that supply and demand can find each other smoothly. We are working on infrastructure proposals in the various industrial clusters in Belgium, providing connections between the clusters and to neighbouring countries, and working on import possibilities. In Antwerp, the interest shown by INEOS Olefins Belgium is an important step in the development of the infrastructure needed by industry. The train is leaving now: with the interest of all the companies combined, we will complete the studies for the grid in Antwerp early 2023 and conclude contracts in 1H23 to be able to build."

As a group, INEOS is already involved in numerous projects where hydrogen plays an important role. One example is the collaboration with Fluxys and the other consortium partners of Power to Methanol to build a demo plant for the production of sustainable methanol from hydrogen and captured CO₂ by electrolysis.

In November 2020, the INEOS group launched a new business to develop and build green hydrogen capacity across Europe to support the drive towards a carbon-free future. This was followed a year later by the announcement to invest €2 billion in the production of carbon-free, green hydrogen across Europe.

For more news and technical articles from the global hydrogen sector, read the latest issue of Global Hydrogen Review magazine.

Global Hydrogen Review's Spring 2022 issue

The inaugural issue of Global Hydrogen Review is full of detailed technical articles and case studies exploring the entire spectrum of hydrogen production and its applications worldwide. This issue covers a range of topics including the current status of blue hydrogen, how cryogenic technology is helping to shape the energy transition, and integrity management of hydrogen pipelines. Other features include green hydrogen, simulation, transportation, compressor technology, and much more.

Read the article online at: https://www.globalhydrogenreview.com/hydrogen/06062022/ineos-olefins-belgium-joins-fluxys-project/