In 2023, the Belgium-based gas transmission company established a subsidiary called Fluxys hydrogen NV to develop the necessary infrastructure for hydrogen transport. In April 2024, Fluxys hydrogen was appointed as the operator responsible for the development and management of an open-access hydrogen transport network in Belgium (‘Hydrogen Network Operator’).
The decision to build these first hydrogen pipelines followed extensive consultations with the relevant authorities, the regulator, industrial market players, and is aligned with the delayed market development. The federal government is supporting these important initial investments in open-access hydrogen infrastructure through the European Resilience and Recovery Fund. This new pipeline network represents a first step in facilitating the hydrogen economy with a transport network to which producers and consumers can connect, as outlined in the appointment as Hydrogen Network Operator.
In the port areas of Antwerp and Ghent, as well as along the corridor between the two ports (from Kallo to Zelzate), Fluxys will build new hydrogen pipelines to provide transport capacity to the market on an open-access basis. These pipelines will also be constructed using multi-purpose technology, similar to recent natural gas pipelines. The first section of the network is expected to be ready in 2026 and will be gradually expanded in line with market development, provided that the investment risks in the start-up phase of the market are mitigated to an acceptable level through government mechanisms.
Pascal De Buck, CEO of Fluxys hydrogen and CEO and Managing Director of Fluxys Belgium, said: “We confirm that we are starting the construction of this infrastructure, which is essential for decarbonising the industry. With this step, Fluxys as an industrial group takes on its role in the energy transition.”
