The current climate challenge is based around one question: how can we make our industry sustainable while keeping it competitive at the same time? One of the solutions may well lie beneath our feet. Fluxys is building a network of pipelines for both hydrogen and CO2 in Belgium.
As an international infrastructure group, with its origins in Belgium, Fluxys operates pipeline networks, storage installations and terminals that are essential for energy supply. The company wants to build an energy system that is ready for the future. A system in which different types of molecules - natural gas and biomethane today and hydrogen and CO2 tomorrow - flow safely and efficiently through existing and new pipelines.
"Pipelines are one of the most efficient, safe and sustainable ways to transport energy or CO2," explains Raphaël De Winter, Senior VP Business Development and M&A at Fluxys. "To transport the same amount of energy you need either 69 coal trains, 1,465 diesel trucks, or.... one gas pipeline (1 metre in diameter). A pipeline creates far fewer emissions, no noise pollution, needs less space and also has no visual impact."
In the region around Zeebrugge, Fluxys has currently expanded around 90 gigawatts of capacity through direct pipelines to Norway, the UK and France, as well as through its own LNG Terminal. "You can compare that to 90 nuclear power plants, each with a capacity of 1000MW. Huge capacity in other words, which is directly connected via pipelines to consumer markets but also to the underground storage installation in Belgium and neighbouring countries. In this way, the energy from molecules can be stored and distributed when it is needed most, even in periods with no wind or sun. This flexibility is one of the major advantages."
There's no silver bullet to make our industry sustainable. We need complementary solutions.
Sustainability is in Fluxys' DNA. The company wants to help reduce emissions in general, by building an efficient, reliable and feasible energy system which combines green and low-carbon molecules as well as CO2 capture. A system based on one single form of energy is not socially responsible. Hydrogen will play a role in the gradual decarbonisation of industry, but CCUS (Carbon Capture, Utilisation & Storage) is also a necessary link in this regard.
Some of the CO2 can be reused, for example, in building materials. But the biggest potential today is in safe storage: deep under the North Sea, in empty gas fields or in saline aquifers. "You have enough storage there for the next few centuries" explains Raphaël, "and what's more, we are going to need it. What not many people realise is that the CO2 does not stay in gas form there, but eventually mineralises. So it turns into a kind of limestone."
Fluxys sees an important role for Belgium as a multi-molecule hub. Not only as an import country for green hydrogen, but also as a hub for CO2 flows towards storage sites in the North Sea. To that end, they are building three major CO2 export hubs with various partners.
These infrastructure projects are crucial to transport and store captured CO2 from Northwestern Europe. In this regard, they are primarily looking at the Ruhr region, the Belgian ports and the valley of the Sambre and Meuse rivers.
A project for a pipeline network and CO2 liquefaction terminal in the Antwerp port area. 2.5 to 10 million tons of CO2 is expected to transit through here each year.
Combines CO2 from Belgium and surrounding countries, including Germany, at a compression station, to go from there in one stream by pipeline to storage sites in the North Sea. The envisaged capacity is 20 to 35 million tons per year.
An important project for industry in Ghent which also includes a liquefaction terminal. 4 million tons of CO2 is expected to transit through here each year.
There are currently a number of important challenges in developing a CO2 network. The first is the current limited storage capacity in Europe. "Although this shortage will disappear in the next few years as more sinks are developed for CO2 storage," Raphaël nuances.
The second challenge is getting enough critical mass to build the infrastructure. That will require significant investment. To recoup that investment, you need to be able to collect enough CO2 streams in the first phase.
There are also still challenges in the regulatory domain. For example, CO2 is a regional competence in Belgium. These policy frameworks still need to be fleshed out. For example, a CNO (Carbon Network Operator) still needs to be appointed in Flanders, Wallonia and the Antwerp port area. Fluxys, through its subsidiary Fluxys c-grid, is putting itself forward as a candidate to take on this role. In 2024, they were also appointed HNO (Hydrogen Network Operator) in Belgium for hydrogen.
©FluxysAny questions?
Our experts are happy to help!
