Skip to main content

News

Nippon Gases and partners establish Terranova Hydrogen NV for green H2 project in Zelzate

Terranova Hydrogen NV is the new company founded by Terranova, Luminus and Nippon Gases Belgium. They are working together to build and operate an installation to produce green H2 at Zonneberg in Zelzate.

The three companies will collaborate at Zonneberg on the construction and operation of a 2.5-MW electrolysis unit to produce green H2, including storage capacity and a compression and filling station. In addition, there is the possibility of further expanding the plant to 5 MW.

The green H2 will be produced at Terranova's sites on the Zonneberg in North Sea Port at Zelzate with locally generated green electricity. DEME, Jan De Nul and Aertssen, Terranova's shareholders, have been joining forces for more than 10 years to transform this former brownfield. At Terranova is now a large solar park on this former brownfield site, and this project will continue the conversion to a production center for green energy. In addition, the site is centrally located along the R4 ring road around the port of Ghent, at a crossroads of freeways Antwerp-Bruges and Lille-Rotterdam and also along the Ghent-Terneuzen canal.

As part of the rollout of the Flemish Hydrogen Vision, the Flemish government granted strategic support of €4.33 MM to Terranova Hydrogen NV at the end of 2022. Meanwhile, the license was also obtained and Terranova NV started the preparatory works on the site. Production of the first H2 molecule is planned for early 2025.

The three partners behind Terranova, DEME, Jan De Nul and Aertssen, said, “We are delighted to enter this cooperation with Luminus and Nippon Gases to produce green H2 on our sites. This is another great step in the intended transformation of a former brownfield into a green energy hub in the middle of the Ghent port area.”

Grégoire Dallemagne, CEO of Luminus said, “Luminus wants to build a carbon-neutral energy future where planetary protection, human well-being and economic growth are reconciled. That is our reason for living. This project therefore fits perfectly within our strategy, and we are proud to be able to actively contribute to its implementation."

Frank Rutten, Managing Director van Nippon Gases said, "To achieve a carbon-neutral world, it is important to switch from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. Nippon Gases is committed to helping its customers make this transition possible in the future. This production of H2 based solely on green energy is therefore for us the model example of what a climate-neutral industry can look like. Together with the other partners, we hope to contribute to a future that our children and grandchildren can enjoy for a long time to come.”