The Port of Antwerp’s NextGen Demonstration District is a groundbreaking initiative aimed at transforming the port into a hub of energy innovation. Located in one of Europe’s largest and most strategically important ports, this district is dedicated to fostering the development of innovative and compatible energy technologies, positioning Antwerp as a leader in Europe's energy modernization.
The NextGen Demonstration District spans a vast area within the port and serves as a testing ground for innovative industrial processes. It provides companies, startups, and research institutions with the space and resources needed to develop, test, and scale innovative solutions that address environmental challenges. The focus is on advancing technologies such as energy storage, hydrogen production, and variable energy integration (Picture shows the Next Generation Demonstration District cleared for new construction).
Power to Hydrogen and the Port of Antwerp-Bruges have agreed to install the world’s first industrial scale AEM electrolysis stack at the Port. The Port is providing funding to prepare the site for the installation of P2H2’s technology. Meanwhile, P2H2’s commercial partners from the Free Electrons pilot are providing the CAPEX for the AEM electrolyser build. The hydrogen will be used to power existing industrial operations at the port and provide hydrogen for refueling operations in the area. More importantly, the project will serve as a demonstration to the hydrogen economy that AEM electrolysers are ready for deployment at the industrial scale. To date, AEM electrolysers have only been deployed in small-scale use cases.
The project has now moved from planning to execution. Power to Hydrogen has completed construction of its first-of-its-kind half-megawatt industrial AEM electrolyser system, which will be installed and running at the Port of Antwerp-Bruges by this fall. Alongside the project, P2H2 has established a European base of operations in Antwerp to support commissioning, long-term customer support, and future commercial deployments. The momentum generated by this project has already led to additional commercial opportunities, including a second industrial-scale system scheduled for deployment in Norway. As installation gets underway, the Port of Antwerp-Bruges project continues to serve as an important milestone in demonstrating that AEM electrolysis is ready for real-world industrial applications. Thank you to the city of Antwerp for the warm welcome!
