Europe is strongly committed to green hydrogen as a key molecule in the energy transition. The REPowerEU Strategy of 2022 set out the aim of producing 10 million tonnes and importing 10 million tonnes by 2030. By 2050, renewable hydrogen is to cover around 10% of the EU’s energy needs. Green hydrogen is obtained through electrolysis using only renewable electricity. Unlike the production of grey hydrogen, this process does not emit CO₂. 

The American company Plug Power, to be called Plug, has long aimed to play a leading role in the use of hydrogen as a green fuel. Therefore, the energy company wanted to invest in the construction of a large production facility in the port of Antwerp. To this end, a concession agreement for thirty years was signed with the Port of Antwerp-Bruges. The factory was supposed to be built in the NextGen District, the former Opel site transformed into a European hotspot for sustainable business activities. The installation that Plug was planning on building was very innovative and therefore posed a challenge in terms of permits.

Arcadis guided the American company in obtaining its licenses for the construction and operation of the sustainable hydrogen factory. We already have a lot of expertise and references in complex permit applications and permit procedures. Arcadis' full-service package included stakeholder management, energy studies, and support for the permit application.