The Port of Rotterdam has confirmed the Final Investment Decision (FID) by Air Liquide to build the ELYgator, a 200 MW electrolyser plant in Maasvlakte, Rotterdam’s new conversion park. The project represents a €500 million-plus investment and aims to deliver approximately 23,000 tonnes of renewable hydrogen annually, primarily supplying TotalEnergies’ industrial platform, while supporting Dutch and Belgian industrial and mobility sectors
ELYgator - Project Scope and Technical Features
The ELYgator plant is engineered to operate with both Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) and Alkaline electrolyser technologies co-located on the same site—an industry-first aimed at delivering flexibility and optimised performance for varied operational profiles
Located in Maasvlakte’s hydrogen conversion park alongside other large-scale electrolysis projects, ELYgator benefits from proximity to renewable power sources, including offshore wind energy from TotalEnergies’ OranjeWind and Vattenfall’s Hollandse Kust Zuid wind farm, via long-term Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs).
The facility is backed by a long-term offtake agreement with TotalEnergies, which has committed to sourcing clean hydrogen for operations in Antwerp and the Rotterdam industrial cluster under a fixed volume contract.
What Is the ELYgator Electrolyser?
ELYgator is a world-scale, integrated electrolyser unit combining both PEM and Alkaline technologies on one site to improve flexibility, reducing costs and emissions. It is designed to operate alongside renewable wind energy, producing clean hydrogen directly for industrial and heavy vehicle fuel applications.
Its modular design allows for scalability, setting the stage for future electrolysers, including a planned 250 MW facility in Zeeland through a 50/50 joint venture between Air Liquide and TotalEnergies, expected online by 2029 and potentially supplying up to 30,000 tonnes of hydrogen annually.
Strategic and Industrial Significance
ELYgator is a pivotal project for the decarbonisation of industrial and heavy mobility sectors in the Benelux region. Producing reliable, renewable hydrogen supports TotalEnergies’ broader ambition to decarbonise its refineries by 2030, while serving as a strategic nucleus for scaling hydrogen distribution infrastructure in Northwest Europe.
The project contributes to the development of a regional hydrogen economy in line with EU energy transition goals, consolidating Rotterdam’s position as Europe’s energy and hydrogen hub. It is among several high-profile investments aligned to hydrogen demand and supply expansion under Air Liquide’s ADVANCE 2025 decarbonisation strategy
Procurement Strategy and Delivery Model
Air Liquide will build, own, and operate the electrolyser plant under a project delivery framework that leverages existing infrastructure—including Air Liquide’s hydrogen pipeline network—ensuring logistical efficiencies and scalability for future green hydrogen supply to broader Dutch and Belgian customers.
Financially, each partner (Air Liquide and TotalEnergies) is expected to contribute approximately €600 million, with overall project funding bolstered by national and EU-level subsidies designed to reduce execution risk and drive sector investment. Details around EPC contractors engaged on the project have not been disclosed.
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