PROJECTS
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RWE builds 14 megawatt electrolysis test plant in Lingen
The state of Lower Saxony is supporting RWE's planned construction of a test electrolysis plant in Lingen for the production of green hydrogen. Olaf Lies, Minister for the Environment, Energy, Construction and Climate Protection, handed over the corresponding notification on Tuesday, 3 May 2022. Construction is scheduled to start in June. The plant is scheduled to produce green hydrogen from mid-2023.
The pilot electrolysis plant will initially have a capacity of 14 megawatts (MW), making it
directly one of the largest plants of its kind in Germany. RWE wants to test two electrolysis technologies under industrial conditions at the pilot plant
: The Dresden-based
manufacturer Sunfire is installing a pressurised alkali electrolyser with a capacity of
10 MW for RWE. In parallel, Linde, the world's leading industrial gases and engineering
company, is building a 4 MW proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyser. RWE will
own and operate the entire plant in Lingen.
From spring 2023, the plant is to produce up to 290 kilograms of green hydrogen per hour with the help of green electricity. The project is scheduled to run for three years with an option for a one-year extension.
Insert
The hydrogen produced in the process is to be fed into a public hydrogen grid or mixed with the fuel for gas turbines at the power plant. It could also be used to supply the hydrogen-capable gas turbine that RWE and Kawasaki are planning to build in Lingen by 2024.
Location
Lingen plays a key role in RWE's hydrogen strategy: as part of the GET H2 project, the company plans to build the first 100 MW electrolysis plant there by 2024. The capacity of this plant is to be expanded to 300 MW by 2026. The aim of GET H2 is to work with partners to create the critical mass needed to kick-start the development of a supra-regional hydrogen infrastructure and develop a strong European hydrogen market.
Promotion
The state of Lower Saxony is supporting the construction with 8 million euros. RWE announced that it would invest 30 million euros in the construction of the test electrolysis plant on the site of the Emsland gas-fired power plant.
Sopna Sury
COO Hydrogen RWE Generation
By 2030, RWE will create two gigawatts of its own electrolysis capacity to produce green hydrogen. The investment decision for a test plant here in Lingen is trend-setting for us. We want to use it to gather operating experience in the industrial use of the two technologies, which are to be used in the three-digit megawatt range within the framework of GET H2, for example. The funding commitment from the Lower Saxony Ministry of the Environment makes a significant contribution to the implementation of this pilot project, which paves the way for future large-scale plants.
©RWE
Olaf Lies
Lower Saxony Minister for the Environment, Energy, Building and Climate Protection
Here in Lingen, we are seeing a fascinating transformation story into the future of our energy production. RWE is not only demonstrating its commitment to Lingen as an energy location. The pilot project is also the first step towards the planned construction of large-scale electrolysis capacities here on site. Together, we are creating the basis for an entire electrolyser park that can and should be built here.
Moreover, the war in Ukraine shows us as never before that we need the energy transition - today rather than tomorrow. It now stands for more than just climate friendliness; it is becoming a symbol for peace and independence. Hydrogen will become an integral part of our energy system; we need it to achieve our climate goals. The energy transition can only succeed with molecules and electrons. RWE is also doing its part with this project.
The construction and simultaneous operation of the two different types of electrolyser will enable a well-founded comparison of the technical and economic parameters of the two technologies. The knowledge gained in this way can then be incorporated into the upcoming investment decisions for the expansion of electrolysis capacity then in the triple-digit megawatt range.
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