Construction of historic Hyoffwind power plant makes Belgium pioneer in green hydrogen
Virya Energy, Messer Belgium and Hyoffgreen begin construction of the 25MW production facility.
Zeebrugge, 18 February 2025 - The Hyoffwind consortium today officially inaugurated the construction of Belgium's first industrial-scale green hydrogen production plant in Zeebrugge. The project brings together the expertise of Messer, the world's largest privately held specialist for industrial, medical and specialty gases, and Virya Energy with Hyoffgreen, a strategic investment vehicle backed by the Flemish Energy Holding (VEH). The 25MW plant, scheduled to produce its first green hydrogen in Q3 2026, will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25,000 tons annually through various industrial and transport applications, enabling decarbonization across multiple sectors.
Flemish Minister-President and Flemish Minister of Economy, Innovation and Industry, Foreign Affairs, Digitalization and Facility Management, Matthias Diependaele, attended the ceremony at the ABC Tower in Zeebrugge. He emphasized the importance of this project for the Flemish and European goals on energy transition.
Green hydrogen is produced from renewable electricity and will play a crucial role in the decarbonization of transportation and industry. Messer's generational expertise in industrial gases is combined with Virya Energy's leading role in renewable energy thanks to this partnership. Hyoffgreen, a dedicated investment holding company backed by the Flemish Energy Holding Company (VEH) is the third partner in HyoffWind. This unique combination between private sector innovation and public strategy interests places Belgium at the forefront of hydrogen energy in Europe.
“This alliance demonstrates how private sector excellence, together with public strategic investment, can accelerate our energy transition,” said Flemish Minister President Diependaele at the Window to the Future event. “With decarbonization targets for industry and transportation, the demand for green hydrogen is expected to increase even more. To meet that future demand, it is essential to start developing hydrogen plants on an industrial scale. Hyoffwind is leading the way in this, providing a crucial foundation for expanding the green hydrogen economy in our region.”
“Industrial projects like for Hyoffwind are a remarkable milestone,” said Teresa Ribera, European Commissioner for Climate Action and Vice President of the European Commission in her video message to attendees at the event. "This project is strategically located in an energy hub and has the potential to provide meaningful opportunities for all companies involved in any step of the value chain around hydrogen. It is very important to consider the entire value chain, to ensure that every piece is perfectly aligned. Because of their key role in the industry sector, Hyoffwind's role is indispensable in shaping the future."
The facility's cutting-edge electrolysis technology and integration with renewable energy sources showcase Belgium's technological capabilities in the hydrogen sector. Paul Tummers, CEO of Virya Energy, emphasized: "Beyond its technical sophistication, Hyoffwind represents our fundamental belief that hydrogen is indispensable for achieving climate neutrality. This facility demonstrates how we can transform our deep industrial expertise into practical solutions for today's energy challenges."
Annett Beier, Managing Director of Messer Belgium, highlighted the project's industrial significance: "As a business with over 125 years of expertise in industrial gases, we firmly believe in hydrogen's crucial role in driving industrial decarbonization. This project seamlessly underscores our longstanding strengths with innovative solutions to meet the energy needs of the future. Most importantly, it demonstrates that family-owned companies, such as Messer, can make a meaningful impact—as long as they have a clear vision on sustainability and the courage to invest in it boldly."
The 25MW facility, backed by €30 million in Flemish government and NextGenerationEU funding, will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25,000 tons annually and has expansion potential to 100MW. Its strategic location in the Port of Antwerp-Bruges positions it is a cornerstone of North-West Europe's emerging hydrogen infrastructure.
Ludo Kelchtermans, Co-CEO of VEH, emphasized the national strategic dimension: "Through Hyoffgreen's involvement, we're ensuring that this breakthrough project aligns with Belgium's long-term energy security and sustainability goals while maintaining our industrial competitiveness."
The event featured an animated panel discussion on accelerating hydrogen deployment, bringing together experts from WaterstofNet, Bekaert, Transport and Logistics Flanders, and Barbara Veranneman from Essenscia. The engaging debate demonstrated strong cross-sector support for the initiative's role in Belgium's energy transition. The event's exhibition area showcased the growing maturity of hydrogen technology, featuring hydrogen vehicles from BMW, Toyota, and Haesaerts Logistics. As part of their Zero Emission Transport (ZET) initiative, which aims to achieve zero-emission freight transport across their entire value chain by 2035, the Colruyt Group displayed their new 44-tonne hydrogen truck, developed with VDL Special Vehicles for their daily logistics operations. Alongside Messer's tube trailers (380 bar and 200 bar trailer), hydrogen car and an operational hydrogen generator similar to the one used during last edition of F1 Francorchamps, this comprehensive exhibition illustrated the complete hydrogen value chain, from production to real-world applications in mobility and industry.
Vedran Horvat