Interview on energy with Wilco van der Lans, business development manager of Europe’s biggest port.

The climate crisis and current geopolitical reality have compelled Europe to speed up its sustainable energy transition. The port of Rotterdam wants to lead the way, changing the way it operates and expanding efforts to import clean energy. Wilco van der Lans, business development manager of Europe’s biggest port, gives us insight into the challenges and opportunities that go along with it. ‘Everybody sees the momentum’.

What, in your opinion, is the greatest challenge in energy today?
Wilco van der Lans: ‘Scale. The technologies that offer clean, alternative fuels are already here. The challenge is making them widely available by scaling up. Take liquid hydrogen, for example. To give you some sense: Nasa, whose rockets fly on hydrogen, have some of the biggest installations in the world, and we are going to need those several times over. We’re literally talking rocket science here. 

‘After that, you’ll have to figure out how to ship these sources of energy with vessels that are up to the task. The same goes for ammonia, another promising energy carrier. The port of Rotterdam already has an ammonia-terminal, but that might have to grow a 100 times bigger. That raises other questions, like whether that’s acceptable to the port’s direct environment. How can we make it safe and efficient?’

How do we maintain the stability and security of renewable energy?

‘It’s important to keep in mind that diversity in supply leads to security in supply. We need a variety of different sources of renewables and low-carbon energy from different countries, transported through various ways. That will create flexibility for buyers and producers, leading to a more stable energy market.’

What is the port of Rotterdam currently doing to help make the shift to sustainable energy?
‘Aside from making our own operations carbon-neutral, we are helping companies that use our port to become more sustainable, by hooking docked vessels up to clean shore power and installing solar panels on building roofs. We’re also supplying industry with alternative energy sources. Through geothermal energy, we are looking to generate steam by extracting heat from the depths of the earth. A project to capture and store CO2 in an empty gas field below the North Sea, is in development. Of course, the port has also harnessed wind power, by installing turbines that will deliver up to 300 megawatt of electricity.’

 Will that be enough to move away from fossil fuels completely?
‘No. To make the whole of Europe sustainable, we need new energy imports – liquid hydrogen and hydrogen-derived fuels, like ammonia and other clean fuels. Right now the chain of production, import and transit isn’t fully there yet. It starts in countries that produce these clean energy alternatives, like Norway, Chile, Namibia, Morocco and Australia. We need to invest our resources in these 10 to 15 countries, where the likelihood of exports is biggest. The port of Rotterdam can also help these countries develop export ports, as that is where our strength lies. In the end, we might make up 1 percent of the entire logistical chain, but without a port, it simply won’t be possible.’

How great is the sense of urgency in the energy sector at the moment, when it comes to the issue of sustainability?
‘Resistance to climate action is clearly shrinking. The issue of climate change has been around for 30, 40 years, but the urgency has never been as great as it is right now. Everybody sees the momentum. Just a few years ago, business cases around wind and solar power were a lot harder to make. Renewable energy imports are now finally on the political agenda. 

‘Secondly, there’s a financial component. The price of renewables like wind and solar power is going to be lower than that of oil and gas, which has made wild jumps this year.

‘Last but not least, the war in Ukraine reminds us all of how fragile the security of supply can be. We know that exporting states can wield oil and gas as a means of power. So I would say the pressure is high in all three main energy pillars: sustainability, affordability and the security of supply. As a result, the climate will benefit.’

Where does The Netherlands stand, compared to Europe, when it comes to sustainable energy? Is it leading the way, or falling behind?
‘It depends. When you look at the development of wind at sea-power, at the moment there’s no country that does better than The Netherlands. After years of development, we are finally going full speed ahead. But if we look at the imports of hydrogen, for example, we can be a bit jealous of Germany. They just have more means. We do benefit, because we work closely together with the Germans, and with Belgium as well. Working together will ensure northwestern Europe’s position as a strong player in the energy market.

‘We believe the connection to our eastern neighbor could be even stronger, that’s why we initiated the Delta Corridor, a project exploring an energy pipeline between Rotterdam and German North Rhine-Westphalia, that will also link to the southern Netherlands. The Dutch government has our back, but at times, we will take the lead. We make no secret of our ambitions, we want to be that biggest energy port in Europe, now and in the future.’

 Lessons from Wilco van der Lans:

• Imports are key to Europe’s shift to clean energy

• Countries benefit from working closely together

• Diversity in energy supply leads to security in supply