First projects launched at FLIE: test environment accelerates industrial electrification

From innovation to industrial deployment

Many industrial electrification technologies have demonstrated promising results in research and demonstration environments. Before companies can adopt these technologies on a larger scale, additional validation is often required under realistic operating conditions.

FLIE provides the facilities needed to do so. Technologies can be tested in an environment that closely reflects industrial practice, enabling companies to gain deeper insight into performance, reliability, integration challenges and operational requirements. This helps reduce technical and economic risks and supports well-informed investment decisions.

Within FLIE, the focus includes Power-to-Hydrogen, Power-to-Heat and Power-to-Chemicals. Renewable electricity can, for example, be converted into hydrogen using an electrolyser. Hydrogen and CO₂ can subsequently be used as feedstocks for the production of methanol, dimethyl ether and other sustainable chemicals and fuels.

A key strength of FLIE is that technologies are not only tested in isolation, but also in conjunction with the supporting infrastructure and utilities required for industrial deployment. The facility includes electrical infrastructure, a PEM electrolyser, hydrogen and CO₂ infrastructure, Direct Air Capture, steam and hot-air systems, and dedicated pilot testing locations. This enables technology developers to investigate how processes perform under realistic and flexible operating conditions, how different components interact across the value chain, and which technical and economic barriers still need to be addressed before large-scale industrial implementation becomes viable.

The new pilot hall is located at SubZero in the Merwe-Vierhavens (M4H) district of Rotterdam and provides space for projects in industrial electrification, hydrogen, sustainable heat and Power-to-X.

TNO as co-initiator of FLIE

TNO is a co-initiator of FLIE and contributes expertise in industrial electrification, hydrogen, sustainable heat and Power-to-X.

First projects launched

The opening of FLIE also marks the start of the first projects contributing to the further development of industrial electrification and Power-to-X.

• FlowVolta is testing a next-generation electrolyser system capable of operating flexibly based on the availability of renewable electricity.
• ZEF is testing a Direct Air Capture (DAC) installation that captures CO₂ from the atmosphere and integrates it into a system for producing alternative fuels.
• Equans is assessing the performance of an Inocel fuel cell under different operating conditions for industrial and maritime applications.
• TNO is installing a commercial electrolyser to gain practical experience with integrating hydrogen production into an industrial environment. The project focuses on the interaction between hydrogen production, storage, utilities and Power-to-X applications.

In addition to hydrogen technologies, TNO is facilitating the practical validation of industrial heating technologies at FLIE, including e-heaters and e-boilers. This provides technology suppliers and industrial end users with the opportunity to develop and test solutions for the electrification of heat-intensive industrial processes together with experts before large-scale deployment.

Building a clean and competitive industry together

Demand for solutions in industrial electrification, hydrogen and sustainable heat is growing rapidly. To successfully deploy these technologies within industry, practical experience is essential. FLIE provides an environment where companies, technology suppliers and knowledge institutes can jointly learn, validate and scale up innovations.

With the launch of its first projects, FLIE has taken another important step towards strengthening the Dutch ecosystem for industrial electrification and Power-to-X. In doing so, the fieldlab contributes both to the decarbonisation of industry and to strengthening the competitiveness of Dutch industry.