INEOS Inovyn receives renewable hydrogen ISCC PLUS certification

LONDON (ICIS)–INEOS Inovyn has received certification for renewable hydrogen production from the International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC) PLUS scheme for the company’s site in Belgium, it was announced 2 October.

Since June 2023, hydrogen production at INEOS Inovyn’s Antwerp site in Belgium has not been certified under ISCC PLUS, a global voluntary certification program that is applicable for the bioeconomy and circular economy for food, feed, chemicals, plastics, packaging, textiles, and renewable feedstock derived from a process using renewable energy sources.

The Antwerp site produces hydrogen via Chlor-Alkali electrolysis, which is the electrolysis of brine producing chlorine, caustic soda/potash, sodium hypochlorite and hydrogen.

The electricity used in the electrolysis process was supplied directly from wind turbines located off the north coast of Belgium, INEOS Inovyn said in the press release, which means that the hydrogen would fall under renewable hydrogen under European Union regulation if the wind turbines have been in operation for less than three years and have not received any previous subsidy.

INEOS Inovyn also said that they have both existing and local power purchase agreements (PPAs).

Market participants have been urging policymakers to bring in regulation that allows for a global renewable hydrogen standard.

With different regions of the globe having different views on how hydrogen can be produced and what constitutes renewable hydrogen, voluntary schemes such as the ISCC PLUS have been developed in the absence of an agreement on the global hydrogen standard.

This will allow potential offtakers to manage risk and have certified renewable hydrogen as a feedstock source.

Data from ICIS showed that the breakeven cost for front-month offshore wind electrolysis in the Netherlands was €6.96/kg on 29 September with the French equivalent standing at €6.94/kg.

Both of the above electrolysis costs are higher than their front-month baseload equivalents at €6.30/kg and €6.09/kg respectively, however, neither grid is able to qualify for renewable hydrogen under the renewable energy directive (RED) legislation which requires 90% of the electricity to be generated by renewable assets to qualify.