Norwegian energy major Equinor and global industrial gases and engineering company Linde have started the front-end engineering design (FEED) of their joint investment in the H2M Eemshaven low-carbon hydrogen project in the Netherlands.
The two parties are entering the last phase of studies before a planned investment decision, Equinor revealed, noting that H2M Eemshaven aims to produce 1 GW of low-carbon hydrogen to help decarbonize energy-intensive industry like steel and chemical production in large industrial clusters in both the Netherlands and Germany.
According to Equinor, the production facility is planned in the Eemshaven industrial area, where it will reform natural gas from the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS) to hydrogen with CO2 capture and storage (CCS).
More than 95% of the CO2 will be captured and stored permanently under the seabed offshore Norway, Equinor said, adding that the aim is to start production in late 2028.
Equinor will secure access to carbon transport and storage capacity and offer low-carbon hydrogen to the market for the project, while Linde will build, co-own and operate the hydrogen production and carbon capture and transfer facility.
Commenting on the project, Equinor stated: “Scaling up hydrogen production will help develop market and production capacity and secure cost-effective solutions. The project contributes to the EU’s emission reduction target of 55% by 2030 and aligns with our carbon neutrality ambitions by 2050.”