Hydrohub MegaWatt Test Centre

Research project

The Hydrohub MegaWatt Test Centre is currently being built on the EnTranCe site of the Hanze University of Applied Sciences. It is a state-of-the-art research facility for optimising and scaling up the production of green hydrogen via electrolysis, which is essential to be able to produce 'green' hydrogen cheaply, efficiently and on a large scale. This allows the chemical industry to reduce its CO2 emissions. The aim is to achieve this before 2030.

Project description

The Hydrohub MegaWatt Test Centre will be an open innovation centre. First, various test and development programmes for hydrogen production are carried out with existing partners. In the living lab of EnTranCe, two electrolysers of 250 kilowatts each will be installed: a PEM and an Alkaline type. Tests on this scale show whether new problems arise and how the technology will behave when scaled up. If hydrogen technology works well here, it could be rolled out to an industrial gigawatt-scale electrolysis plant. The studies in the Test Centre may lead to a standard for the design of large-scale electrolysis processes.

Can the electrolysis process work efficiently on a large scale and will it be possible to significantly reduce the production costs of green hydrogen? That question will have to be answered here.

Research question

Can the total cost of electrolysis be reduced (so that the use of green hydrogen becomes more interesting for industry)?

Aim

The MegaWatt Test Centre’s aim is to investigate whether the total cost of ownership (TCO) of electrolysers can possibly be lowered, i.e. whether such systems can function more cheaply. Two common types of electrolysers, namely PEM and alkaline, are being investigated. The possible reduction of the TCO would ensure that the price of green hydrogen can to compete with the price of hydrogen generated with gas.

Valorisation

Collaborating partners

The test centre will be realised by a consortium of Nouryon, Shell, Gasunie, Yara, Frames, Groningen Seaports, TNO, Yokogawa, University of Groningen, Hanze University of Applied Sciences Groningen and ISPT.

The initiative, financed by the business community and Topsector Energie, is made possible by a solid support of one million from the National Programme Groningen and one million from the Hanze University of Applied Sciences. Jan-jaap Aué, director of EnTranCe – Centre of Expertise Energy, is pleased with the arrival of the Hydrohub: 'There are many companies that would like to take a step in the field of hydrogen that are actually too small to be able to make the investments. At EnTranCe – Centre of Expertise Energy, they are given the opportunity to implement their ideas.'