Eelde 13 October 2023 – A letter of intent (LOI) was signed today at Groningen Airport Eelde in the presence of Deputy Jisse Otter of the Province of Drenthe and 120 guests from the energy and aviation sectors. This will initiate the development of a liquid and gaseous hydrogen infrastructure, and its supply. This was done during a side event of Wind meets Gas, which took place in one of the hangars of the KLM Flight Academy at the airport.
During the event, that included a panel discussion with Airbus Netherlands, RWE and PAL-V (the Flying Car), among others, discussed the themes of mobility and energy. The airport is working with many partners on creating a green hydrogen airport infrastructure.
After the panel discussion, the LOI was signed by all partners involved, being Fokker NextGen, Province of Drenthe, RWE, Hy Network Services, Engie, Netherlands Aerospace Centre (NLR), NOM, Shell, Airport Creators, New Energy Coalition, Groningen Seaports and Groningen Airport Eelde. The Air Combat Command of the Royal Netherlands Air Force has indicated its support for the initiative.
These parties will cooperate in developing a green hydrogen infrastructure at Groningen Airport Eelde. They will combine their strengths and expertise to create the most efficient and sustainable hydrogen network possible. The aim is to store hydrogen, transport it and eventually supply it to customers such as airlines. Besides carrying out a feasibility study, issues such as obtaining permits and attracting financial resources will also be tackled.
Jisse Otter, Deputy of the Province of Drenthe:
“This perfectly fits with the fact that Groningen Airport Eelde is Europe’s first Hydrogen Valley Airport. Our airport, with its focus on innovation and sustainability is of great importance for the energy transition in the region and for making aviation more sustainable.”
