Today a decentralized electrolyser was unveiled at Groningen Airport Eelde (GAE). A demonstration model to produce, after upscaling, green hydrogen as emission-free fuel for light aircraft, drones and ground equipment at the airport in the future. This afternoon, under the watchful eye of some 80 attendees, Marieke Abbink (director of New Energy Coalition) unveiled the electrolyser, a co-production of Northern producers and researchers.
With the electrolyser, the industrial hydrogen ecosystem in the northern Netherlands will receive a major boost. The Northern Netherlands is recognized as an important center for the development of hydrogen technology by Europe, which declared the region the first Hydrogen Valley. As a testing ground, GAE is taking various initiatives in the field of making aviation more sustainable. This makes the airport Hydrogen Valley Airport. The WAviatER project is one of the projects through which the airport is giving concrete substance to Hydrogen Valley Airport. The electrolyser produces hydrogen, which uses electricity from the solar park to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. This makes it self-sufficient and not dependent on connection to a future, yet-to-be-developed hydrogen infrastructure. What makes this electrolyser special is its unique design in which the electrolyser stack is contained within a water-filled, pressure-resistant jacket. This design contributes to the safety and efficiency of the system.
Together with Jonas van Dorp (GAE's Commercial & Communications Manager), Toon Hermans (Managing Director of Demcon energy systems) is the initiator of the WAviatER project. "It's great that the electrolyser, a demonstration model, is now at the airport. This beautiful cooperation with Groningen Airport Eelde, the Hydrogen Valley Airport, is a wonderful step in the energy transition and towards a more sustainable aviation!" said Hermans.
WAviatER stands for WAterstofproductiechnologie voor de Aviation sector en Energietoepassingen op Regionaal niveau, and is subsidized by the Samenwerkingsverband Noord-Nederland from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). In this project, green hydrogen technology is being developed within the consortium involved. Consortium partners are Douna Machinery Leeuwarden, JB Besturingstechniek, REDStack, Demcon, GAE, New Energy Coalition and Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, supported by TNO and VONK.