The energy transition will only be able to succeed with hydrogen and green gas. Marieke van Amstel, portfolio manager new energy carriers at Enexis, insists. “We have to be ready for when production is scaled up.”
The electrification of society is accelerating. But a society that runs completely on electricity is a utopia, according to Marieke. “Take, for instance, old monumental buildings in the city centre. These buildings are difficult to insulate and therefore can't be heated with a heat pump. Increasing the sustainability of old buildings is often only possible by replacing grey gas by green gas.”
Green gas is also suitable as raw material in the industrial sector. “However, for high-temperature processes in heavy industries and logistics, such as maritime transport, green hydrogen is the most efficient and effective alternative to increase sustainability. You can also distribute green hydrogen via the existing gas grids and it is easy to store.”
Farmers can convert manure into green gas,
which reduces the emission of methane, CO2, and nitrogen."
Positive image necessary
There is still a long way to go for both green gas and green hydrogen. At present, around 250 million m3 of green gas is produced in the Netherlands. This will have to increase to 2 billion m3 in 2030, as agreed in the Dutch Climate Agreement. In order to realise this, laws and regulations have to be revised and the gas grid has to be adapted. Boosters have to be installed with which businesses can pump green gas into the national gas grid. Marieke: “One booster has been realised, a number of others are being developed. We expect that we need at least seven boosters in our service area.”
In addition, social acceptance is also important Marieke: “Green gas is produced locally. Manufacturers use fermentation and gasification processes for waste and residual flows, for example, from agriculture, the food industry, and water purification. Farmers can convert manure into green gas, which reduces the emission of methane, CO2, and nitrogen. But people would rather not have a fermentation station in their neighbourhood. They’re afraid that it will smell, but the new fermentation facilities don’t smell at all. The image needs to change into a more positive one.”
Learned a lot about hydrogen
Whereas green gas is already being produced on a larger scale, the production of green hydrogen has only just begun. Marieke: "There are pilots and many plans, but the production of hydrogen is still limited. Our goal is that we will be able to transport hydrogen safely and reliably via the existing gas pipelines in 2028.”
Enexis participates in the pilot project WaterstofWijk Wagenborgen in Groningen, where a residential neighbourhood is switching to hydrogen. “We are learning a lot about the distribution of hydrogen in this project. About adapting gas meters in homes, the knowledge that technicians require, and making gas pipelines suitable. When hydrogen becomes available on a large scale, we have to be ready. Furthermore, it is important that production starts to speed up. We contribute to this by participating in pilots and by ensuring that the transportation of hydrogen will not form a bottleneck.”
Noses in the same direction
Therefore, a lot still has to be done to make green gas and green hydrogen a success as an energy carrier. Marieke: “Significant steps have been taken in the past years. We have learned a lot about the distribution of green hydrogen and the first green gas booster has been realised. The Dutch government has introduced stimulation measures and the Netherlands Authority for Consumers & Markets is working on setting appropriate tariffs. Collaboration in the chain has also improved considerably - the noses of all parties involved are pointing in the same direction. This is an important precondition to achieve the goals.”