Groningen Airport Eelde Becomes the First Hydrogen Valley Airport in Europe
Groningen Airport Eelde and New Energy Coalition to collaborate. The parties will be working intensively together to make the airport sustainable through hydrogen applications. It is Groningen Airport Eelde’s ambition to become Europe’s most sustainable airport. This collaboration aligns well with the hydrogen objectives of the Northern Netherlands region. The airport is located in the middle of Europe’s first Hydrogen Valley. The collaboration makes Groningen Airport Eelde the first Hydrogen Valley Airport.
Groningen Airport Eelde focuses on making aviation and airports more sustainable through the NXT Airport initiative. Projects are being undertaken to develop sustainability innovations together with educational institutions, the business community and government authorities. The focus is mainly on hydrogen technology. The airport’s ambition is to produce green hydrogen on the airport site, and deploy it for innovative applications on both groundside and airside.
Hydrogen Infrastructure
GroenLeven has built a solar park with a capacity of 21.9 MW between the runway, platform and taxiway at Groningen Airport Eelde. Groningen Airport Eelde and GroenLeven plan to use electrolysis to produce green hydrogen at the airport.
This green hydrogen can then be put to many different uses. For example, the intention is to realise a multi-fuel filling station, serving both groundside and airside. On the groundside, passenger cars, trucks and regional buses will be able to refuel. On the airside, this will serve ground handling equipment, hydrogen drones and hydrogen-powered aircraft in the future.
Groningen Airport Eelde’s Ground Handling Will Be Emission-Free by 2030
Groningen Airport Eelde aims to have an entirely emission-free ground handling system by 2030. The airport intends to make special use of hydrogen applications. Together with Holthausen Clean Technology, the airport is looking at converting existing equipment and developing innovative hydrogen-powered ground equipment, which is not yet on the market.
Managing Director of New Energy Coalition, Marieke Abbink-Pellenbarg, said:The New Energy Coalition Foundation connects parties to create collaborations that speed up the transition to a sustainable energy economy. In addition to road, water and rail transport, we can now also include air transport in the Hydrogen Valley. This is a very valuable addition and strengthens the position of the Hydrogen Valley, the testing ground for hydrogen development in the Northern Netherlands. We will be deploying our knowledge and network to help Groningen Airport Eelde achieve their ambition of becoming Europe's most sustainable hydrogen-powered airport.
This article was originally published by Groningen Airport Eelde.
