RWE is set to invest a significant mid-eight-figure sum in constructing an electrolyser for trial purposes at the Emsland gas-fired power station. An additional €8 million in funding is being provided by the government of Lower Saxony. This pilot project marks a crucial first step towards developing large-scale electrolyser capacity and gaining valuable experience in the use of such facilities.
RWE is collaborating with several project partners to lay the foundation for an extensive electrolyser farm at the Lingen location. The pilot plant is expected to commence operations by the end of 2023 and, using renewable electricity, will be capable of generating up to 290 kilogrammes of green hydrogen per hour.
Technology: Pressurised Alkaline Process and Proton-Membrane Electrolysis
The pilot plant, boasting an initial capacity of 14 megawatts, will be among the largest hydrogen electrolysis facilities in Germany from the outset. RWE is testing two electrolysis technologies under industrial conditions:
- Pressurised Alkaline Electrolyser: Dresden-based manufacturer Sunfire has installed a pressurised alkaline electrolyser with a capacity of 10 MW for RWE. The electrolyser consists of modules combined in groups of four to create two stacks, each almost ten metres long, housed in a specially constructed hall. Each of the eight modules weighs 15 tonnes.
- Proton Exchange Membrane Electrolyser: Linde, a leading industrial gas and engineering company, is providing an additional 4 MW with a PEM electrolyser from ITM Power. The PEM electrolysers, divided into two 2-MW cubes, are compact and installed in the halls at the trial facility.
Future Prospects
RWE will own and operate the entire facility in Lingen. The produced hydrogen will be integrated into a public hydrogen network or mixed with gas as a climate-neutral fuel for turbines at the power plant. The transport sector and gas industry will also benefit through a public hydrogen fuel station and a non-public hydrogen trailer filling station, “H2 Filling Hub Lingen,” which will utilise hydrogen from the pilot plant. In the future, the hydrogen will also supply the hydrogen-ready gas turbine being planned for construction in Lingen by RWE and Kawasaki.
This initiative not only positions RWE at the forefront of green hydrogen production but also contributes significantly to the broader goal of achieving a sustainable, carbon-neutral energy future.
For more information visit www.rwe.com
