The first concessionaires have signed contracts for NextGen Demo, the innovation hub located in the heart of the Port of Antwerp-Bruges.
Power to Hydrogen and TripleW have chosen the port environment as a testing ground for their energy transition and circularity initiatives.
The demo projects of both pioneers are ideally aligned with the goals of the Port of Antwerp-Bruges and will contribute significantly to the transition to a climate-neutral society.
The port has cleared an area totalling 88 hectares for NextGen District, to create a circular economy hotspot.
As an innovation hub, NextGen Demo intends to serve as the appropriate catalyst for long-term advancements in feedstock raw material and energy transition.
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Power to Hydrogen aims to expedite the transition to a green hydrogen economy using AEM (anion exchange membrane) electrolysis. This technique has the potential to significantly cut the cost of producing green hydrogen from renewable energy.
The procedure has never been used on an industrial scale before, and the AEM electrolysis stack for the NextGen demo project, scheduled to be deployed in the fourth quarter of 2024, will reportedly be the world’s biggest.
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According to the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, this demonstration is being financially sponsored by global utility companies such as American Electric Power, EDP, E.ON, and ESB as part of the Free Electrons utility innovation initiative.
High-quality lactic acid is used as a raw ingredient for biodegradable polymers and biochemicals. TripleW hopes to broaden the applicability of this technology to a wider spectrum of food waste streams and end products by proving its scalability and flexibility through the NextGen Demo project.
The project is slated to begin in the fourth quarter of 2024.
