Belgium Installs 25 MW Alkaline Electrolyser Plant at Port of Zeebrugge

The Hyoffwind project at the Port of Zeebrugge has reached a major milestone with the installation of four alkaline electrolysers from John Cockerill. The facility, powered by offshore wind, is designed to produce approximately 3,700 tonnes of clean hydrogen per year while eliminating roughly 25,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually from industry and transport applications.

The project received €30 million in funding from NextGenerationEU and Flemish recovery funds when Virya Energy approved it in mid-2024. Construction began in 2024, with foundations completed by February of this year. The electrolyser stacks, each operating at 5 MW capacity for a combined 25 MW output, operate using alkaline electrolysis technology at 60–80 °C and up to 30 bar pressure.

The plant is scheduled to begin hydrogen production before the end of 2024 following commissioning. Virya Energy and Messer will pilot initial operations while securing offtakers for the produced hydrogen. The facility is designed with scalability in mind, with plans to expand capacity to 100 MW in the future.

The project supports Belgium's participation in the EU's REPowerEU plan and Flanders' hydrogen roadmap. It has already generated hundreds of construction and operations jobs at the port.

Originally reported by Hydrogen Fuel News. Read the full article →