For the first time in Belgium, hydrogen will be used in a commercial-scale cogeneration plant designed to generate electricity and heat from natural gas. The pilot project will test the use of hydrogen in a combined heat and power (CHP) installation connected to a fully-operational existing industrial plant, located in Doel, outside Antwerp.
The project by INEOS and ENGIE is devised to replace natural gas with hydrogen used by the INEOS gas turbine. Initially 10% of the gas feed will be replaced by hydrogen, with the feed being increased to 20% if successful.
It is the first time that such tests have been carried out on an industrial scale in Belgium. The trial will demonstrate the potential for conversion of existing installations to hydrogen as a springboard for further industrial up-scaling. The CHP plant at the INEOS Phenol site in Doel, one of the first to be built in Belgium, is described as having the ideal profile to realise this test.
It is expected that hydrogen will become an important link in the transition towards climate-neutral energy. One possible outcome is the gradual replacement of natural gas by hydrogen and in time ‘green hydrogen’ generated from renewable energy via electrolysis. This will gradually reduce the CO2 emissions of current processes based on natural gas.
ENGIE is responsible for the design, installation and operation of the technology at the INEOS site. INEOS Phenol has experience in handling hydrogen as a raw material for its production processes and also has the necessary permits for the hydrogen project.
The commercial-scale project plays a pioneering role in the energy transition of the chemical industry and it is hoped it will provide both ENGIE and INEOS with valuable insights and data.
Cedric Osterrieth, CEO ENGIE Generation Europe, says: “ENGIE believes in hydrogen as a key link to a carbon-neutral economy and wants to take a pioneering role with these industrial-scale tests, both in terms of research and practical implementation. This pilot project will give us better insights into the use of hydrogen to reduce carbon emissions, bringing us one step closer to a carbon-neutral future.“
