C.GEN is a company, based in Belgium, which wants to invest in environmentally-friendly production of electricity, with low CO² emissions. It develops its projects, based on responsible environmental choices. C.GEN is affiliated with the Cobelfret group, which is involved in shipping and terminals.

C.GEN is part of the same group as COBELFRET, active in shipping and harbour terminals in Belgium, the Netherlands and the UK. The shareholder is a ‘private owner’.

C.GEN is led by highly experienced managers, with long and successful careers in the power industry.

A hydrogen power plant is a new combination of existing technologies – on the one hand it contains a gasification plant that converts solid fuels into hydrogen, and that allows for withholding CO2 from the atmosphere and safely storing it, while on the other hand it is an electricity producing plant (CCGT, a Combined Cycle Gas Turbine) that converts hydrogen into electricity. Aside from coal, other solid fuels will also be used to obtain hydrogen, which in turn powers the gas turbines.

A significant reduction (85% to 90%) of all CO² emissions can be achieved. This is a big difference compared to conventional coal-fired plants. Other harmful substances are also kept out of the atmosphere using this environmentally-friendly technology, meaning that the hydrogen power plant is unmistakeably a new method of energy production, which is much more environmentally friendly than the conventional coal-fired plants.

The production process consists of coal, for example, being converted into syngas. Subsequently, the CO² is extracted from the syngas by converting the syngas into CO² and hydrogen (H²) through a relatively simple chemical procedure. The CO² is separated from the H², after which the H² is combusted in the turbines. When H² is combusted, only H²O (water) is released. The conversion from syngas into H² and the capture of CO² is a well-known process in the chemical industry.

The CO² can be transported by ship or by pipeline to underground storage areas or to existing oil and gas fields. In certain cases where the oil and gas fields are still operational, the CO² can be injected to enhance the extraction of oil or gas from those fields that have already reached a certain level of depletion.

A hydrogen power plant consists of two components, both fully technically developed. The first component is the gasification plant, including the syngas cleanup and CO² cleanup. The second one is the CCGT power plant. Large numbers of gasification plants for coal or the residual products of refineries have existed for decades in the chemical industry. CCGT units are power plants that reached a high level of efficiency since the 1990’s. They burn (natural) gas in gas turbines, the heat from which is recovered in steam and used to drive the steam turbines. Both turbines power generators for the production of electricity.

C.GEN’s initiative has generated a great deal of interest. Consequently the company is developing other similar projects. The hydrogen electricity power plant in Rotterdam will probably be the first completed plant, but other projects are under investigation, for example in the United Kingdom, on the Humber.

Hydrogen is a non-toxic, colourless and odourless gas. It is 14 times lighter than air. Therefore it rises fast and rarefies easily in the air. Since it is a combustible product, like natural gas, the necessary precautions need to be taken when it would escape in a closed space. Comparatively speaking it is safer in use than gasoline. There are now already cars and busses driving on hydrogen. The advantage of hydrogen is that its combustion only results in water and no CO2.

Hydrogen has various purposes: in refineries, by the production of ammonia, chemicals etc.. The demand for hydrogen for these purposes increases. In large amounts it is transported through pipe lines. Together with the oxygen in the air, hydrogen feeds the so called fuel cells, which produce - due to a chemical reaction betwseen the two gasses - direct electricity with pure water as residue. A big future is awaiting its application in the transport industry, dispersal electricity production with heat-power coupling etc. Hydrogen can also be seen as energy carrier, in substitution for natural gas. Its economical importance will increase in the near future (hydrogen economy).

The technological development of CCGT units occured in a period of low gas prices (after 1986). That is why there were few economical incentives to place a coal gasificatiobn installation before the CCGT. Moreover, there was no need for the capture of CO2.