Frameworks for the realisation of a hydrogen plant

Groningen Airport Eelde (GAE) aims to become Europe’s most sustainable airport. The main focus is on creating a hydrogen ecosystem at and/or near the airport site. The ambition is to produce green hydrogen and be able to use it on both landside and airside for innovative applications. GAE needs frameworks on how such a hydrogen plant can be optimally set up. Which components – e.g. an electrolyser, hydrogen storage, refuelling station, etc. – of the ecosystem are envisaged now and in the future, and what does that mean for the airport site?

Summit Engineering first identified and framed GAE’s requirements for this hydrogen ecosystem, for now – but also for the path to the future.By setting out and discussing the various possibilities of a hydrogen ecosystem, it became clear which direction GAE had in mind.On this basis, Summit mapped out which aspects offer the greatest opportunities and challenges in this respect.These include the various possible applications of the hydrogen (e.g. ground equipment, refuelling station, tube trailers), the technical aspects (e.g. size of the required utilities, safety distances and the transport of energy in the form of electricity or gas) and practical aspects (e.g. physical area and accessibility).After identifying these frameworks, Summit Engineering advised GAE on the optimal location of the hydrogen plant for the different situations for now and in the future.