<b>Bijsluiter</b>. De hyperlink naar het originele document werkt niet meer. Daarom laat Woogle de tekst zien die in dat document stond. Deze tekst kan vreemde foutieve woorden of zinnen bevatten en de opmaak kan verdwenen of veranderd zijn. Dit komt door het zwartlakken van vertrouwelijke informatie of doordat de tekst niet digitaal beschikbaar was en dus ingescand en vervolgens via OCR weer ingelezen is. Voor het originele document, neem contact op met de Woo-contactpersoon van het bestuursorgaan.<br><br>====================================================================== Pagina 1 ======================================================================

<pre>13971588
         Project       NortH2:        Q&As
         Q&As    —
                   PROJECT IN GENERAL
         Ql. What is project NortH2 all about?
         Al. Hydrogen     will play  an   indispensable       role in  achieving   our  national and   European climate goals. The
         use  of green   hydrogen    will result in     a  drastic reduction in carbon emissions in the Netherlands and              a
         more   sustainable Dutch      industry      sector.
         With this in   mind,  a consortium       currently consisting       of Equinor, Gasunie, Groningen Seaports,          RWE and
         Shell  Nederland, with the support of the             Province of    Groningen,    is proposing  a  project  that will enable
         the  large-scale production of green hydrogen.
         Specifically, this  concerns    the   realisation,     in  phases,  of offshore wind farms to generate green          electricity,
         production    of hydrogen offshore, building            a  hydrogen plant    in Eemshaven, and later possibly also
         offshore,  to convert green       electricity    into  hydrogen, arranging      a  storage facility for hydrogen for when
         the wind is not    blowing, and converting the             Gasunie   pipeline network for the transport of hydrogen           to
         industrial clusters in the Netherlands and Northwest Europe.
         Q2. How big will the hydrogen plant be? And is this really the largest hydrogen project in Europe?
         A2. The exact size and scope have not yet been                 determined,    so a  lot of research and    analysis still needs
         to be done. The     objective    is to generate 4 GW of wind energy for              hydrogen production by 2030, and         to
         have 10+ GW of      electrolysis capacity        in place by    2040.  By way of    comparison, with     1 million tonnes of
         hydrogen,    more   than half of the current         hydrogen consumption          in the Netherlands     can be
         decarbonised.
         Ultimately, the objective is, of       course, to make        a significant impact    in meeting the targets     set in the
         Dutch and German Climate ambitions for the reduction of carbon emissions, with the final                          goal being   to
         reach the ambitions of the         European      Green Deal and the       objectives   of the Paris  Agreement.
         For your   information:
         e
              By using   10 GW of offshore wind            capacity for electrolysis,    more   than 1 million metric tonnes of
              green  hydrogen     can  be    produced.
         oe   10 GW   equates    to enough electricity         to meet the energy needs of         approximately     12.5 million Dutch
              domestic households.
         e    1 million metric tonnes of green            hydrogen     can  abate 8 to 10 million tonnes of CO2 emissions.
         Q3. What concrete       (that’s to    say    required) steps     is the consortium     going to take?
         A3. An   entirely  new,  integrated     value chain must be set up to enable the switch to green                hydrogen.
         Currently,  the  hydrogen     is  mainly produced          from natural gas. In the    future,  we  will produce hydrogen
         from green    electricity, and it will be      widely     used to  replace  fossil fuels  directly at the location of the
         consumers.    With NortH2 this        specifically    concerns:
              e
                   constructing,   in  phases,     a  mega offshore wind farm to generate green             electricity, dedicated for
                   green  hydrogen production;
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              e
                     building  a hydrogen plant        in Eemshaven to convert green            electricity    into hydrogen (and likely
                     also offshore in later     phases);
              e
                     building  a storage facility for green hydrogen for when the wind is                   not   blowing and for periods
                     of extra demand;
              e
                     converting the     Gasunie     pipeline network       to  transport the hydrogen         to industrial clusters in the
                     Netherlands and Northwest            Europe;
              eo     customers will need to set up their           plants   and processes to facilitate the         use   of green    hydrogen;
              e      in addition,  a  range of    policies, standards, procedures           and  regulations     must be     arranged    so that
                     this new   value chain     can  be built and the      use  of green    hydrogen stimulated;
              e      we  will set up the entire value chain in          one   go in the first   phase and then expand this           in the
                     following phases.
         Q4. So, what is the first phase?
         A4. The first     steps involve making        an  inventory of what       is needed to      complete    the first   phase   of this
         project, which will      mean     the installation of    approximately 4 gigawatt of wind capacity by                 2030. In
         concrete      terms,  we are   talking   about    an  offshore wind farm,         an electrolysis facility,    a  network that
         connects several industrial clusters and             storage, and agreements with future               customers for green
         hydrogen.      To create   a  widely supported consortium,             we are    currently looking for additional partners
         and companies; this is        an   essential task.
         Step    1 also includes   carrying     out  a feasibility study, which has         now   been    completed. After that,       an
         investment decision will be           made, based      on  commercial considerations and             dependent on supporting
         policies.
         Q5. What role does the Dutch national government play in this?
         A5. The role of the government is to create the                 regulatory and flanking policy framework within which                 it
         is possible    to establish this entire value chain.          Consider, for     example,     aspects like   designating     sites for
         new    wind farms that      are   dedicated for green        hydrogen production         in the northern      part of the North
         Sea, setting regulations        for the storage, transmission and distribution of                hydrogen, stimulating the
         demand for low-carbon            hydrogen,     and  investing    in  parts of the chain.
         Q6. What is the level of investment in this project? How much                        are  the partners in the consortium
         contributing?
         Ab. The level of investment in this           project   is still unclear at the moment. It is         evident, however, that
         installing    offshore wind and       electrolysis capacity      on a   gigawatt    scale and the necessary transmission
         infrastructure will     require     an investment in the billions of         euros.   As  a  result, we   cannot say     right  now
         how much will be invested            by which party.
         Q7. Will the current partners continue to back their commitment, financial                             or otherwise,     if no other
         companies join       and make       a contribution,     financial    or  otherwise?
         A7. The consortium         partners     are  determined to       develop    and set up     a  green   hydrogen     chain.   Ultimately,
         the investments in this        project   will have to pay off       economically,     which    can   happen    if we  all work
         together. Together, we         can    make this mega ambition           a reality.  Of course we      cannot do this alone:       we
         need     a supportive government
                                                   —
                                                     supportive governments            in fact —
                                                                                                  and   willing  customers to      buy  green
         hydrogen.
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         Q8. When will the project be completed?
         A8. In the first and second     phase    of the   project, we  want to    have, respectively,    4 GW   (2030)   and 10+
         GW of wind     capacity linked   to green     hydrogen production by the        second half of this decade.
         Q9. Why green hydrogen rather than ‘blue’ decarbonated hydrogen’?
         A9.  Eventually, virtually  all hydrogen      will be green. However, at the moment,         hardly   any green     hydrogen
         is being produced anywhere         in the world. It will take    a  long time to install the  required    green   hydrogen
         production facilities, which is why       it is necessary to start    now.  This works   perfectly well    in combination
         with ‘blue’, that’s to say decarbonated,          hydrogen.
         Q10. Who profits from this project and what              are the benefits for the Netherlands? And for
         Groningen?
         A10. NortH2 offers     a number of benefits for the Netherlands and Germany.                Firstly, this will reduce
         carbon emissions in these countries, an important step towards achieving a carbon-neutral
         economy. In addition, it gives the Dutch and German industry sector the opportunity to
         decarbonise their    production. Being the home base of large green hydrogen projects like NortH2 not
         only  sets the  stage for the Netherlands and Germany becoming the leaders in Europe in the field of
         green hydrogen, this also positions these countries to become an international hydrogen hub. This
         provides countries and companies with new economic opportunities and contributes to the long-term
         earning capacity. And it is particularly by converting large quantities of electricity from offshore wind
         energy into green    hydrogen     in  Groningen that     we can    balance  our  energy system and       save on   major
         investments for the transmission of          electricity from the northern      region of the Netherlands      to other
         parts of the country.
         For  Groningen, the   construction of      a  hydrogen plant and the storage and transmission of hydrogen will
         generate employment.       The northern        region of the Netherlands will benefit, too, through the higher
         profiling of its leading position on the global stage as the European Hydrogen Valley. Groningen has a
         unique concentration of know-how and companies active in the field of hydrogen, with institutions like
         the University of Groningen, the Hanze University of Applied Sciences, and EnTranCe, as well as Gasunie
         and NAM and a large cluster of chemical companies with their own demand for hydrogen.
         Q11. How many jobs will be created with this project and                 over what   period?
         All. We estimate that tens of thousands of            jobs will be created    over  time, though     we  do not yet know
         precisely  how many    jobs   and in which      phase  of the  project   these will be created.
         For your information: CE Delft has carried out           a study   into green  hydrogen   and   employment (published
         in Dutch   only):
         https://www.ce.nl/publicaties/2202/werk-door-groene-waterstof
         Q12. Where will the hydrogen plant be located? And the wind farms?
         Al12. The exact locations    are   not  yet known, but Eemshaven has           room  for such   a plant. The northern
         part of the North Sea has      enormous       potential for large-scale offshore wind      energy. It is up to the Dutch
         government     to quickly designate      new areas    for this purpose.
         Q13. What role do the other northern Dutch provinces play in this project?                   (Why are they/are they
         not  involved?)
         A13. The two other northern Dutch            provinces   are not involved in the    project  as  of yet.  They  have been
         informed about this     project  and   are   very welcome to become         a supporting partner.
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         Q14. Where will the hydrogen be going? Who                         are the  buyers/consumers?
         A14.  Initially,   the    hydrogen      will  mainly be     used in   industry:   that is where the    highest  demand for
         hydrogen     is  coming from right           now, often      as a feedstock. Demand        comes   from industries like refineries
         and fertilizer     plants,     and the steel     industry     can  also do  a lot with   hydrogen; hydrogen could be used          in
         industry for heating           as well. Demand may also arise from the transport and                  mobility sector; hydrogen
         offers interesting opportunities,              especially    for  heavy   road transport. We envision       hydrogen being used
         in these sectors        mainly     to replace the      use  of fossil fuels and    partly also to replace the    current  use   of
         hydrogen that         is still  produced by processing natural            gas.
         Q15. Why       was     Northwest Europe chosen for this                project?
         A15. This   was a       logical choice given        its strategic location and possibilities. The North         Sea above the
         northern coast of the Netherlands offers                   a  lot of wind  potential.   The  hydrogen    can  be stored in the
         empty salt    caverns        and there is     a gas transport network that          can  be converted with     relatively  little
         investment to        transport hydrogen           to  areas   throughout     Northern and Western        Europe.
         And it is  particularly by converting large quantities of electricity from offshore wind energy into green
         hydrogen in Groningen and transporting this to the larger consumption markets that we can save on
         additional major investments for the transport of electricity from the northern region of the
         Netherlands to the Randstad conurbation.
         In addition, Groningen has the necessary space, the province is a hub for electricity and natural gas
         networks, and there are numerous knowledge institutes and companies that understand gas and
         hydrogen. And,          last but not least,      Groningen has       an  enthusiastic    provincial government     that  sees   the
         opportunities for         green     earning capacity      in the North.
         There  are   already       numerous       initiatives in the Province of       Groningen for the generation and         use   of green
         hydrogen     on a     smaller and medium scale             (up   to 20MW),     in part as a  result of the  previously published
         Investment      Agenda for Hydrogen              in the Northern Netherlands.          Examples include:
                          o      HyStock (1IMW Z Hydrogen pilot installation)
                          0      DJEWELS (20MW demo conversion installation)
                          0      H2 test centre close to EnTranCe (Hydrohub)
                          0
                                 Hydrogen powered vehicles: Qbuzz, Holthausen, City of Groningen, and others
                          0      HyNetherlands (100MW demo                  conversion     plant)
                          2      HEAVENN.
         Q1l6. What will happen to the natural gas pipelines in Groningen?
         A116. The gas      pipelines in Groningen are suitable for conversion to the transmission of hydrogen. The
         current network will            largely continue to be used for years to come to transport natural gas. Some of the
         grid can   be   freed     up, partly because of export contracts from the Netherlands gradually coming to an
         end. In many locations, over the years a parallel system of gas pipelines has been built along the main
         artery of the Dutch gas transmission network: within the next few years, pipelines can already be freed
         up for transmission of hydrogen over long distances.
         Q17. Why      are    you    announcing these plans             now   already?
         A17.  Building      a  large-scale     green    hydrogen value chain is a huge task, which will require             a lot of time and
         effort from companies, but also from government bodies, to                          complete.   It’s good  to let people know that
         significant steps        are   being taken, why        these   are  being taken,    and that the   completion    of such  projects
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<pre>13971588
         will take   some   time. We would also like to take this          opportunity   to extend    a welcome to other
         companies/organisations            who would like to     join us.
         In the Dutch Climate Accord it           was  announced that      we  want to have 3 to 4 GW of green         hydrogen
         production capacity by          2030. This ambition      requires  investments in the billions of euros,       scaling up the
         technology,     and   developing the required         market. To be able to    actually achieve    this, we   need to get
         going   now    already,    with the launch and       phasing  of a project  as previously   described    (4 GW   by 2030;  at
         least  an  additional 6GW        by 2040).
         Q18. Will the consortium be applying for funding from the government, and if so, why?
         A18. Government          support is essential     to realise this  project. This concerns, for    example, designating
         new    locations for offshore wind farms           (focused exclusively   on  the production     of green   hydrogen),
         having the right regulatory framework in place, stimulating greening of industry and other areas, and
         providing financial and other support for the             various parts of the   new  value chain.
         It is our belief that green        hydrogen will ultimately be profitable. However, at the moment, hardly any
         green   hydrogen      is  being produced anywhere in the world. This means that the costs in the first phase
         will be  higher   than in the later      phases. The idea behind our project is that by working on such a large
         scale,  the  suppliers     can  make    the  investments necessary to reduce costs to the point that green
         hydrogen will become profitable. Accordingly, government funding will be needed during the
         ‘bolstering’ phase.
         Q19. How does this project link to the Dutch Climate Accord, the Paris Agreement and the European
         Green Deal?
         A19. This    project    is an  important step     in achieving the objectives of the Dutch Climate Accord. The plan
         is that  we  have installed       electrolyser capacity of AGW by       2030. To meet the climate agreement targets,
         the   use of green     hydrogen     is essential, especially   in sectors that  are difficult to make     more   sustainable,
         such   as industry and heavy         road transport.
         The   European     Green Deal also       sees  hydrogen playing     an  important role  in  making    the  European
         economy      more    sustainable. With the green deal, the European Commission                 already wants to     cut carbon
         emissions     by 55%, going       even  further than the target set in the Dutch Climate Accord            (-49%). Meeting
         this target will require both offshore wind energy and               hydrogen. The Dutch Climate Accord and the
         European     Green Deal       are  both needed to achieve the climate        goals of the   Paris  Agreement.
         Q20. Will    more    partners be joining this project, and if so, who?
         A20. We     are  very    proud of today’s     two   strong partners joining. A project of this magnitude          can best be
         realised with    a  large   group of    partners. To this end,    we  have conversations with       multiple parties   across
         the entire value chain: wind,          electrolysis, storage and transport, and buyers/consumers. When                new
         partners join    we    will, of  course,  announce     this.
         Q21 Have discussions already been held with parties who have already decided not to participate?
         And    why is this?
         A21. No, this is not the        case.  We   are in discussion with different    parties  in the value    chain, but will not
         make any interim announcements about this.
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         Q22. How does this project relate to the Investment Agenda for Hydrogen in the Northern
         Netherlands?
         A22. The Investment         Agenda    for  Hydrogen      in the Northern Netherlands       was   published    more  than   a year
         ago. This   publication already       announced the aspiration of         bringing  about    a green hydrogen economy
         starting   in the northern     region of the Netherlands. This project fits          in perfectly with this and contributes
         to the actual realisation of this       aspiration,    in collaboration with the partners in the investment           agenda.
         Q23. Why is TenneT not participating?
         A23. At the     core  of the project is the generation of          a large quantity of offshore wind      energy, the
         realisation of    electrolysis   capacity, and the transport and storage of green              hydrogen. This does     not
         directly affect    TenneT. However, this does not detract from the fact that TenneT does                    play  a role in the
         transmission of offshore        electricity,    meaning that continuation of the        good    coordination with TenneT
         will also be    required.
         Q24. Can this project get off the ground              even   without government        funding?
         A24,   Strong government policy          is needed to enable further        growth of large-scale sustainability
         projects.   In the first step towards       large-scale hydrogen production and           use,  we   have to go  through    an
         innovation and      upscaling phase.      The costs of this will be      higher than those of     subsequent phases.      After
         all, the premium paid for the learning            curve   in the initial steps will be put to good     use  during  the  major
         rollout. That    premium, however, requires government support. Furthermore, anticipatory                        investments
         in transport and storage will need           to be   made,   to enable the further     development      of the market and to
         be able to    eventually operate       on an    efficient scale.
         Q25 What is the link between NortH2 and projects like HEAVENN and NSWPH?
         A25, Last year the Heavenn           Project received funding from the European             Commission to make the
         northern Netherlands the first          hydrogen region       in  Europe. This project should enable the start of the
         first real  hydrogen value chain and will establish the first            connections between all the        required stages    in
         the chain. The North2 project          concerns     the initial  upscaling  to eventually    meet the northern and
         national ambitions, with        an  eye towards the        major rollout between      2030 and 2040.
         Gasunie, together with TenneT and Energienet, is                 a  partner in the North Sea Wind Power Hub (NSWPH)
         consortium, which is investigating how large quantities of offshore wind                    can  be  efficiently brought
         ashore in the future. Possibilities include           efficiently clustering wind farms and producing hydrogen
         offshore and then       bringing   it ashore. NSWPH         can thus   play an important role     in the future in  making
         North2’s ambitions        a reality.
         Q 26. Recently, the Aqua Ventus project               was   also launched. To what extent does this compete with
         NortH2?
         A26. Several partners of NortH2            are  also involved in Aqua Ventus. NortH2           warmly welcomes all
         hydrogen      projects and will be     happy     to discuss with them where       projects    can strengthen each other.
         Q27 When will the study phase be completed? And could the findings result in the consortium
         partners deciding       not to go ahead at all?
         A27. We     completed the feasibility study phase             lat the end of 2020, in accordance with         our own
         timeline.    Partly based    on   the positive    findings of phase 1, Equinor and        RWE have     joined, and the second
         phase   has   now   started, which will be       completed by      the end of 2021. The consortium then has most of
         the information to       assess  whether      a final investment decision      can  be taken. A range of matters still need
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<pre>13971588
         to fall into   place  before then:
         -
           Areas need to be        designated    for the  required     offshore wind farms.
         -
           Regulations regarding         the transport and storage of         hydrogen      must be in force.
         -
           The necessary permits and licences need to be issued.
         -
           There must be sufficient demand for green               hydrogen.
         The first partners who initiated the consortium and the two others who have since                           joined  are  convinced
         that this is all   possible.
         Q28. What have you concluded in the feasibility study?
         A28.   Although     we    have concluded the first      phase of the feasibility study that addresses the project              up
         until 2030, the consortium is          currently looking     at the   period post-2030.     The results from the first       phase
         of the   feasibility study     have been very     positive, indicating      a  significant cost reduction for green       hydrogen
         due to NortH2’s       integrated approach       as  opposed      to a  segmented approach.
         Q29. What form of hydrogen storage is being considered?
         A29. For this purpose,         storage in salt  caverns    is  being considered,      the  same as   is  currently being    used for
         the storage of natural gas in        Zuidwending,     in the Province of         Groningen.
         Q30. Are investments also being made in fuel cells,                  or only    in electrolysers?
         A30. This    project    is about   making hydrogen       from    electricity;   we use  electrolysers for     this. Fuel cells do
         the  opposite: they generate electricity from hydrogen and                   are   not part of this project.
         Q31. Will this be yet another project of the polluting fossil fuel industry that drains the entire funding
         pot and does       not reduce emissions       by   one  iota? Yet another         project that  will  ultimately    be paid   for by
         the  taxpayer?
         A31. In    one  word,     no. This project builds    new    sustainable value chains, and that is necessary to
         decarbonise the economy and to achieve the climate                    goals.
         Q32. What is 1 million tonnes in terms of gigawatts? Will that 10 gigawatts be coming from the
         offshore wind farm?
         A32. When all the         electricity generated by     a wind farm is used to         produce hydrogen,       a  10GW wind farm
         can   be  expected    to   produce    1 million metric tonnes of        hydrogen.
         Q33. How much CO2 is abated by using 1 million tonnes of green hydrogen?
         A33. 1 million metric tonnes of green            hydrogen      can  abate 8 to 10 million tonnes of CO2 emissions. It
         depends     on   what you compare this to. It        can  abate 8 million tonnes of CO2 if you            replace natural    gas
         that is   currently being burned,        or 10 million tonnes of CO2 if you          replace  grey   hydrogen.
         Q34. According to calculations recently made by the PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment
         Agency, due       to inefficiencies,    green  hydrogen will       not reduce carbon emissions at this time. What is
         your   response?
         A34. On 17      February,     PBL  published   an  update     of its calculations and     qualified   its findings.  Aside from
         this,  in this  project    we  produce green hydrogen using renewable electricity generated specifically for
         this purpose, meaning there           are no  carbon emissions associated with the             production of the electricity
         being used. That       is what makes this     project unique, and        necessary. If this green       hydrogen replaces grey
         hydrogen     in  industry, for example,      or is  soon  being used      in  a  hydrogen-powered truck, there          are
         unquestionably       major carbon savings.
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         Q35. There is      a  lot of research that shows that the costs for green                       hydrogen      in this decade   are still too
         high.  How do you think you            can  make this investment             profitable?
         A35.   Indeed, with      its current,   extremely      limited    availability, hydrogen           is certainly too expensive.     To
         reduce the costs of green          hydrogen,      what is needed is        a  major      increase in the scale of       electrolysis
         technology coupled with large-scale production of renewable electricity. That is exactly what this project
         aims to achieve       by bringing the      entire value chain        together      in   one   project.   As  we   keep saying,  it needs to
         be  larger,  greener and       integrated.
         Q36. A couple of mega wind farms... how big                     are we    talking exactly?
         A36   By  2030 the consortium          envisages     to have 4 GW installed             capacity for     green    hydrogen production.
         Depending      on  the still   developing wind turbine technology, this could                      mean a      couple of hundred wind
         turbines far offshore.
         Q37. Will | be able to        see  the wind turbines from            a  Frisian island like        Schiermonnikoog?
         A37. No. The wind farms will be located                on  the North Sea, far out of             sight,  as  is the case  with the current
         wind farm.
         Q38. The Wadden Sea is             a UNESCO World         Heritage Site.        How does this          project deal with this?
         A38. The wind farms will be located in              areas     designated      for wind      development by the Dutch national
         government,       as  set out in the    recently concluded North              Sea   Agreement.
         Q39. What       are  the criteria for this     project going ahead?
         A39. We will be        continuing    as  partners in any       case.   One    question is, what role will the Dutch
         government take on, and how              soon    will that    happen?
         Q40. What role could Germany possibly play in these plans?
         A40.   Germany has        set its  own   hydrogen      ambitions and targets to decarbonise. We                     assume    that German
         industrial customers will         sign  up to   buy green hydrogen.            It is also    possible   that German offshore wind
         farms will   supply     their green    electricity   to the    hydrogen plant.
         Q&As    —
                    About HYDROGEN: Also             see:   https://www.theworldofhydrogen.com
         Ql. What is hydrogen?
         Al.  Hydrogen      is  an  extremely light,     harmless gas, fourteen times                lighter   than air, that    can be converted
         into electricity.    The gas    can   be used for     heating    our   homes,       it already    serves as a     feedstock in the
         chemical    industry and       powers all types of transport, and it has                 a promising future        as a clean fuel. A
         major advantage         of  hydrogen    gas is that it    can   be stored for later          use.
         Since   hydrogen only        occurs   naturally   on   Earth in bonded         form,     it first needs to be ‘released’ from its
         compound       to  produce     pure   hydrogen      gas.   A  common      method for          doing this    is electrolysis, a process
         that  uses an    electric current to      split  water   (H20)     into oxygen        (O)  and   hydrogen       gas (Hz). There  are
         various forms of        hydrogen.    One is   ‘green hydrogen’ (produced                 via  electrolysis using sustainable
         electricity from wind,        sun or   water)   and another is        ‘grey hydrogen’ (from fossil fuel), the production of
         which releases CO,. And           lastly there   is ‘blue    hydrogen’, where the CO; released when producing                      grey
         hydrogen     is  captured     and stored    (in depleted       gas fields    deep      beneath the seabed for          example), making
         this hydrogen      carbon neutral. In all cases, the           hydrogen produced              is always   clean fuel when combusted.
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         Q2. What       are  hydrogen’s properties?
         A2. As   a  gas  (Hz), hydrogen          is  colourless, odourless, tasteless, non-radioactive,                    non-toxic and has         a  high
         calorific value.     Hydrogen        is  an   extremely light gas,        fourteen times         lighter than     air.
         Q3. How do you make hydrogen?
         A3. Since     hydrogen only         occurs      naturally     on   Earth in bonded       form,    it first needs to be ‘released’ from its
         compound        to  produce       pure    hydrogen        gas. The    primary    method for        doing   this is   electrolysis,    a process
         that  uses an     electric current to          split  water    (H20)    into oxygen      (0)   and   hydrogen      gas   (Hz). Hydrogen        can
         also be    produced using thermochemical                     processes, like the        reforming of fossil fuels, for example, where
         hydrocarbons        are    split  into carbon       (C)   and   hydrogen.      And    lastly, hydrogen       can   be obtained      through the
         biochemical conversion of biomass,                    including algae biomass for example.
         Q4. How does hydrogen become energy?
         A4,  Hydrogen       is not    a  fuel  as   such but rather         an  ‘energy carrier’. Driving        an   electric engine      (in  a  car, for
         example) using hydrogen requires                    a fuel cell that     can   convert the      hydrogen       into  electricity.   In the fuel
         cell, hydrogen       is mixed with oxygen and separates into                     hydrogen       ions   (protons)     and electrons. The
         product of the       reaction is      electricity, which         is used to drive the        engine    or  other electric component, and
         the  only   exhaust is heat and water vapour. Another                        possibility    is the   hydrogen      internal combustion
         engine,    a  modified version of the traditional combustion                       engine.
         Q5. What is hydrogen used for?
         A5.  Currently, hydrogen            is widely      used    as a  feedstock in the chemical            industry
                                                                                                                            —
                                                                                                                              in the    production      of
         ammonia and certain             plastics,     for  example      —and in refineries.        Hydrogen       is also   already being used,          or
         has the    potential     for use,     as a   fuel in all forms of transport:            by road, water,       air and rail. In    general,     it is
         ideally  suited for electrical          applications        for which batteries would be insufficient. In                 industry it    is an
         interesting option for processes requiring                     high temperatures. And,            in the   future, homes         may be able to
         use  it for  heat,   via district      heating grids.
         Q6. Is hydrogen          a  clean fuel?
         A6. When it      comes      to   using    it in  a fuel cell to make       electricity, hydrogen         is  completely clean        in all  cases.
         Its only   emissions      are    heat and clean water vapour. In terms of how clean the                           production      of  hydrogen is,
         that  depends      on   the    source     of the    hydrogen, which         is why     we  make     a distinction between          ‘green
         hydrogen’ (produced             via  electrolysis using sustainable electricity from wind,                      sun or   water)    and    ‘grey
         hydrogen’ (from         fossil   fuel),   the   production        of which releases CO,. And then there is ‘blue                   hydrogen’,
         where the CO; released when                   producing       grey   hydrogen     is  captured     and stored       (in depleted     gas fields
         deep    beneath the seabed for              example), making           this  hydrogen      carbon neutral.
         Q7. How do you store hydrogen, and how do you transport it?
         A7. The     great thing about hydrogen is that you                    can   store it in   large quantities        and for    a  longer period       of
         time. This is still very difficult with wind and solar power.                        Hydrogen      is already being       stored    as
         compressed       gas in tanks and           cylinders and,       after   being   cooled to      an  extremely      low temperature,          as a
         liquid  in  specially    insulated       cryogenic      tanks. It is also     being    stored in    compressed        form     underground,        in
         salt caverns     for   example.
         The   same as     with storage,        hydrogen        is  being transported        in either    compressed         or liquid form,     in tanks     or
         cylinders. Pipelines         are   already being        used for the transmission of             hydrogen       for  use  in  industry.    This
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         means   that   hydrogen      could   possibly   also be distributed to homes and businesses                 using the existing      gas
         grid. A number of       pilots  in this  area are  already underway.
         Q8. What does hydrogen cost?
         A8.  Many factors determine the            costs  and, by extension, the price of hydrogen. Consider, for example,
         the costs of   production,      the   price of electricity (be      it green, grey    or  blue)  and natural gas, investments in
         plants  and  installations,     and storage and distribution. Climate             policy   also  plays  a  role.  Ultimately,
         hydrogen will have       to  compete with other energy             sources    and energy carriers. This will require          large-
         scale  production, which        is expected    to take at least until 2030.        According     to the PBL Netherlands
         Environmental Assessment Agency, the current cost of grey                       hydrogen     is about €1.50 per       kg. Again
         according   to   PBL,  a  kilogramme of green hydrogen               costs around 5 to 6      euros   to  produce. By significantly
         upscaling the     use  of  electrolysers and offshore wind             energy, these costs      can  be cut   by   50 to 60%.
         A driver of  a  passenger      car  currently   pays about ten        euros   for a  kilogramme of hydrogen           at the pump.
         The price per kilometre for         a  passenger    car   is therefore around ten cents,          virtually  the   same as    the
         average fuel costs for       a car  that   runs on  petrol    or  diesel. It is  expected that the price         at the pump will fall
         significantly  as   production scales       up.
         Q9. Is hydrogen dangerous?
         A9.  Hydrogen     is flammable, but only when mixed with                 oxygen in     specific  concentrations and         only when
         a flame is present. Moreover,           hydrogen    is  a  volatile gas, rising at twenty metres per second. Take, for
         example,   a car   with   a hydrogen      tank: if the tank is     punctured,     the   hydrogen     released will be      high  in the
         air before it mixes with oxygen and could              possibly ignite.     If the  hydrogen     in the  punctured      tank  were    to
         be  exposed   to   a flame, due     to its  high  pressure, it would ‘blow out’ the           flame,   so  to  speak.   This  aside, for
         the  processing, storage and transport of hydrogen,                  as with   petrol,   diesel and natural gas, all sorts of
         regulations   are   in place   to  guarantee safety.
         Q10: Isn’t it inefficient to convert expensive green electricity into hydrogen? Doesn’t                             a lot of the
         energy get lost?
         A10:  Energy    is lost  during the     conversion of      electricity to hydrogen; that        is simply inherent       in converting
         energy. For   example,      when     producing electricity       using natural gas, 40% of the energy is lost. When
         converting electricity      to  hydrogen, about 30% of the             energy is lost. This is    why we     must first    use
         hydrogen for those        sectors where carbon emissions              can  only be avoided through the            use  of  hydrogen.
         But, for that,   we   need to start the preparations           today.    One such sector is the chemical            industry;   in this
         industry,  the   hydrogen      molecule is needed for the chemical processes, not for the energy.                       Electrolysis    is
         the  only way to     produce     this molecule in     a  green way in      large quantities. Hydrogen          is also needed to
         store energy when the         sun   is not  shining  or   the wind is not      blowing.    TenneT and Gasunie have carried
         out extensive studies       showing      that in the most      optimal    energy system for the Netherlands in 2050,                one
         third of all energy used will be in the form of             hydrogen.
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