King Willem-Alexander opens green hydrogen production station Hysolar

In the presence of two hundred guests and seated in a hydrogen-powered crane truck, King Willem-Alexander unveiled the new production station. This officially launched the production of green hydrogen in the municipality of Nieuwegein.

From knowledge to application

After the ceremony, the king participated in several roundtable discussions with representatives from various companies, knowledge institutions, and organizations. The discussions focused on the role of hydrogen as a sustainable energy carrier and its future applications. The attendees emphasized that knowledge transfer plays a crucial role in the further development of hydrogen technology. Representatives from the Innovam training institute and the Openbaar Lyceum Zeist presented their initiatives in this area.

Jules Verne

During the seminar, various experts shared their views on the current and future applications of green hydrogen. KWR director Mariëlle van der Zouwen acted as moderator. In his keynote speech, Emeritus Professor Ad van Wijk discussed the origin and development of the Hysolar project. Van Wijk referenced futurist Jules Verne, who predicted in 1874 that hydrogen could become an important energy source. “Today, 150 years later, we are realizing this vision with the opening of an electrolyser that produces green hydrogen from water,” said Van Wijk.

KWR researchers made an important contribution to the development of this facility with their knowledge of the Power-to-X concept. KWR will continue contributing to the scientific foundation of hydrogen research at this production station.

European perspective

The European perspective on the hydrogen economy was discussed in a Q&A with Alexandre Paquot (Directorate-General for Climate Action of the European Commission) and Marieke Schouten (Alderman for Energy Transition, Sustainability, and Climate in the municipality of Nieuwegein). They discussed how hydrogen contributes to the green growth of the economy. Paquot: “We are well on our way with thirty percent less CO₂ emissions. Hydrogen can play an important role in further emission reduction, as we aim to do with the Green Deal Industrial Plan.” Schouten added: “The combination of driven organizations like Hysolar with scientific research and applied knowledge has led to this result.”

Belief in the potential of hydrogen

Hysolar’s initiators also spoke. Robert Scholman emphasized that his family business believes in the potential of hydrogen as a green energy carrier. “Hydrogen enables us to use our vehicles and machines sustainably and emission-free, without extra strain on the electricity grid.” Joan van Kessel added, “Besides electricity, green hydrogen is the only way to drive and generate energy emission-free. We aim to build a strategic network of hydrogen fueling stations and, in doing so, boost the production and distribution of green hydrogen in the Netherlands.”

Applications of green hydrogen

Green hydrogen can contribute not only to emission-free mobility, but also to sustainability in other sectors, such as industry and construction. During his presentation, Jos Boere of Hysolar/Allied Waters offered insights into large-scale applications of hydrogen, including maritime shipping. “The Hysolar consortium combines practical experience with scientific expertise to make green hydrogen widely applicable, both in the Netherlands and abroad,” said Boere.

How does the production station work?

Hysolar’s production facility, located on the KWR grounds, is one of the first green hydrogen production stations in the Netherlands. The facility has the capacity to produce 300,000 kg of green hydrogen annually, which is enough to power approximately sixty buses or trucks fully emission-free for a year.

The production station is equipped with an electrolyser, a device that uses electricity to split water (H₂O) into hydrogen (H₂) and oxygen (O₂). By using electricity from wind or solar power in this process, “green” hydrogen is produced. The hydrogen can be stored easily and transported in various ways. For example, a pipeline runs from the Hysolar production station to a nearby hydrogen fueling station.

 

This project was made possible in part by the EU LIFE NEW HYTS program and contributes to the regional transition toward green hydrogen.