Newfoundland & Rotterdam: Working Together to Mitigate Europe’s Energy Crisis

Newfoundland and Labrador, a province blessed with abundant renewable energy resources, has established a fruitful partnership with the Port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands, in the hopes of mitigating Europe’s energy crisis.

The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador and the Port of Rotterdam recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding to explore and collaborate on the development of green hydrogen and hydrogen technologies. This collaboration aims to create hydrogen supply chains that will support the export of green hydrogen from Newfoundland and Labrador to the Netherlands and other parts of Europe.

The Port of Rotterdam, the largest inland port in Europe and the 11th largest container port globally, serves as a crucial energy hub for Western Europe. With its significant infrastructure investments in green hydrogen production and distribution, as well as port upgrades to facilitate green hydrogen imports, the Port of Rotterdam aims to position itself as a leading green hydrogen hub for Northwestern Europe. The port’s strategic location and extensive network make it an ideal gateway for the import and distribution of green hydrogen.

Monica Swanson, Program Mgt. International Hydrogen Corridors with the Port of Rotterdam, is working on the development of international hydrogen corridors in Rotterdam, specializing in building international coalitions for the import of hydrogen. Recently speaking at the EnergyNL conference in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Monica reiterated, “We are in an energy crisis and we need green hydrogen. We look at Newfoundland as a region that could help us with this energy crisis.”

Unlike many European regions, the province of Newfoundland boasts abundant wind, water, and available land resources. These attributes, coupled with a highly renewable energy potential, a skilled workforce, and a strategic location with multiple deep-sea ice-free ports, along transcontinental shipping routes and in proximity to Europe, makes Newfoundland and Labrador a premium renewable energy destination.

The Port of Rotterdam is keen to connect and cooperate with companies that have a solid capacity to supply green hydrogen and green hydrogen derivatives from Newfoundland. Leveraging renewable energy production, Newfoundland and Labrador is well-positioned to competitively produce and export green hydrogen, aligning with the European Union’s energy security and net-zero targets.

Newfoundland’s Minister Andrew Parsons, responsible for Industry, Energy, and Technology, emphasized the province’s commitment to transparent and fair processes in allocating Crown land for wind energy projects, renewable energy development incentives, stable government regimes, and a welcome investment climate. This bodes well for sustainable energy companies emerging in the province such as World Energy GH2, ABO Wind, RedEarth, and EVREC, which are developing renewable energy production and storage solutions.

The partnership between Newfoundland and Labrador and the Port of Rotterdam signifies a harmonious collaboration between the two regions with a shared vision to mitigate the energy crisis in the Netherlands with sustainable new energy.

Leveraging Newfoundland and Labrador’s renewable energy resources and the Port of Rotterdam’s expertise and infrastructure, establishing hydrogen supply chains will accelerate the transition towards a more sustainable energy landscape, benefitting both regions and contributing to global decarbonization efforts. It is a match made in heaven.