Infrastructure operator Fluxys Belgium is increasing its transmission capacity with the construction of a new dual-purpose pipeline between Desteldonk and Opwijk, which also marks its first strategic investment for hydrogen transport in Belgium.
This is the second pipeline between Desteldonk and Opwijk and it will initially increase the security of supply for Belgium and neighbouring countries in the context of modified gas flows.
At the same time, it is an important step for Fluxys in achieving its ambitions in terms of the energy transition .
The new pipeline will run parallel to the existing natural gas pipeline between Desteldonk and Opwijk, a total length of 44 kilometres. Work is scheduled to start in March 2023 and be completed by the end of the year.
This expansion of Fluxys’ network capacity is said to be vital in view of the changed structure of the European gas supply . Doubling the pipeline will increase the offtake capacity from Zeebrugge by 15 GWh/h, equivalent to the energy generated by 15 nuclear reactors.
With this project, Fluxys is anticipating the growth in LNG regasification capacity at the Zeebrugge terminal to avoid creating a bottleneck further down the network.
According to Fluxys, the pipeline will be fully future-proof and will be immediately available for hydrogen transport as soon as the market is ready.
As such, Fluxys is consolidating Belgium’s federal hydrogen strategy , which aims to make the country a European hydrogen hub.
Pascal De Buck , CEO of Fluxys, said: “With this investment, Fluxys is strengthening its pivotal position in the European energy transmission network and bolstering the security of supply in Belgium and neighbouring countries. It is also the first visible step in realising our ambitions on the energy transition, and the development of a European hydrogen hub in Belgium.”