Marine Renewable Hub – Port of Hirsthals

Challenge

Port of Hirtshals is working to become the region's center for CO2-neutral shipping by 2050, and has therefore established an independent development company – Greenport North. In the first phase of the project, work is focused on establishing production facilities for bunkering 100% green fuels from the harbor. Through the Nordic Transport Policy Network and the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T), Hirtshals Harbor can become the crucial link between North Jutland's PTX fuel producers and the maritime consumers.

Solution

A series of preliminary analyses indicate that decentralized carbon capture at biogas plants and combustion plants in North Jutland, combined with the area's excellent renewable energy (RE) resources and future harbor facilities in Hirtshals, could produce and deliver competitive PTX fuels to meet the goal of CO2-neutral shipping. The project consists of several subprojects, including investment in a CO2 capture plant and CO2 and LNG liquefaction at GrønGas Hjørring, a business case for establishing a 30–70 MW methanol plant at Hirtshals Harbor, as well as the analysis and optimization of CO2 capture and the optimal CO2 transport to Hirtshals Harbor.

Impact

The project is envisioned to continue into a phase II, where the goal is to establish a methanol plant at the expanded Hirtshals Harbor. The plant will include an electrolyzer facility to produce hydrogen and oxygen based on new renewable energy in the area, a plant to receive and purify CO2 from point sources in the region, including a network of CO2 pipelines, a facility for hydrogen-carbon synthesis, including storage and shipping, and various auxiliary facilities.

The project is part of the North Jutland business initiative, CO2Vision, which is managed by a consortium consisting of Energy Cluster Denmark, Erhvervshus Nordjylland, Aalborg University, Aalborg Portland A/S, the Mid/North Labor Market Office, Business Region North Denmark, Green Hub Denmark, EVIDA, and the North Denmark EU Office.

CO2Vision is funded by REACT-EU funds. You can read more about CO2Vision here: www.co2vision.dk