[ Sustainability ]
[ Sustainability ]
Plan of the Port of Rotterdam hydrogen system and CO 2 CCS project Porthos. Infographic © Port of Rotterdam.
Holland Hydrogen I Shell’ s Holland Hydrogen 1( HH1), Europe’ s largest green hydrogen plant, has risen in the Maasvlakte area of the Port of Rotterdam. HH1 is now officially connected to the Dutch hydrogen network, under construction between the Maasvlakte and the Rotterdam Chemicals Park in Pernis, its first customer. Around 60 tonnes of green H 2 will soon be flowing through the network each day. The investment decision in 2022 to proceed with the construction of HH1 provided momentum for building the 32 km hydrogen pipeline through the port area. Upstream, the chain begins 18 km out to sea, at the Hollandse Kust Noord offshore wind farm. This windpark supplies the plant with green electricity, which it uses to split water into oxygen and hydrogen. On the site where Shell’ s HH1 currently stands alone, a cluster of hydrogen giants is taking shape.
ELYgator green H 2 plant Air Liquide is currently constructing ELYgator, a plant to produce green hydrogen. The plant will have a capacity of 200 MW and is scheduled to be operational by the end of 2027. The investment amounts to more than EUR 500 million. ELYgator will produce 23,000 tons of hydrogen per year for use by industry and heavy transport. According to Air Liquide, this will lead to a CO 2 reduction of 300,000 tons per year.
H 2 Next In 2025, HYCC announced plans to develop H 2 Next- a facility designed to produce 25,000 tonnes of green hydrogen annually, supporting the decarbonisation of refineries, the chemical industry, and mobility in the Rotterdam port area. HYCC is currently finalising the project’ s study phase and aims to reach a final investment decision by 2028, with the first hydrogen production expected around 2030. Thanks to the planned national hydrogen network and the Delta Rhine Corridor, the project will also be able to supply green hydrogen to other industrial clusters across Northwest Europe.
Holland Hydrogen 1( HH1) is Europe’ s largest green H 2 plant. Photo: Martins Multimedia
The role of stainless steel in H 2 production
Stainless steels are everywhere in green hydrogen production where they provide superior corrosion control, durability, and cost over lifecycle in a very aggressive operating environment. Examples of where stainless is used:
• Electrolysers operate in highly corrosive environments. In PEM electrolysers, coated stainless steel( e. g. TiN, Pt, Au coating) is increasingly used. Stainless is used in: bipolar plates( especially in PEM systems), cell frames and compression hardware and end plates / structural components.
• Piping and balance of plant
• Storage and transport
• Water treatment systems, etc
www. stainless-steel-world. net Stainless Steel World May 2026 33