Bad Lauchstädt Energy Park begins test production as partners prepare the full wind-to-hydrogen chain for commercial supply to Leuna from early 2027

 

In the energy park Bad Lauchstädt, green hydrogen was produced for the first time in the 30-megawatt electrolysis. The electrolysis jointly responsible for Uniper and VNG Handel & Vertrieb GmbH (VNG H&V) is the heart of hydrogen production: it uses renewable electricity from the connected wind farm to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. Now the phase begins in the energy park, in which the components of the entire system are tested in interaction. This brings the planned industrial use of the Green Hydrogen closer from 2027.

 

30 megawatts for hydrogen production

 

The pressure-alkali electrolyzer consists of three modules, each with a capacity of ten megawatts. Each module comprises two so-called stacks in which the electrochemical conversion of water into hydrogen and oxygen takes place.

 

The structural implementation of the large electrolyzer began with the groundbreaking ceremony in June 2023. With the first hydrogen production, a decisive section is now beginning on the way to the integrated operation of the energy park: The technical basis for hydrogen production has been created, now the focus is on the interaction with the other components of the value chain.

 

Double expertise from production to marketing

 

Uniper and VNG H&V are jointly responsible for the construction and operation of large-scale electrolysis through their joint venture, Elektrolyse Mitteldeutschland GmbH (EMG). Uniper brings its international experience in the development of hydrogen projects along the entire value chain. With its expertise in the gas wholesale trade, VNG H&V is responsible for the marketing of hydrogen produced in the energy park and thus supports the development of trade and sales structures for the new energy source.

 

Konstantin von Oldenburg, Managing Director of VNG H&V, says:"With the production of the first hydrogen, we are getting closer to our common goal of transferring renewable energy into an industrially usable energy source. The first hydrogen molecules are harbingers of the approximately 3,000 tons of hydrogen that our anchor customer will lose in the coming year and use industrially. The test operation, which is now underway, is an important step in bringing the individual components together and preparing the way for the upcoming subsequent delivery."

 

Holger Kreetz, COO of Uniper, adds:"The hydrogen economy needs more than electrolyzers: it needs functioning connections between renewable power generation and industrial customers. This is exactly what we are working on in Bad Lauchstädt. The first hydrogen produced is an important milestone. It is now crucial that the entire process chain functions reliably in operation."

 

Hans-Joachim Polk, CTO of VNG AG, which is responsible for the consortium management of the real laboratory, classifies:"The ramp-up of the hydrogen economy begins where production, infrastructure and industrial demand come together in a confined space. Such regional clusters can form the starting point for a growing hydrogen market. The Energiepark Bad Lauchstädt has all the important prerequisites for this. Here we can test the interaction along the value chain in practice and gain experience that is also valuable for the construction of further regional hydrogen clusters."

 

From the wind farm to the refinery

 

The energy park Bad Lauchstädt brings together the hydrogen value chain at one location. The connected wind farm has around 50 megawatts of installed power and supplies renewable electricity for electrolysis.

 

For further transport, the project uses a 25-kilometer-long former natural gas pipeline from ONTRAS Gastransport GmbH, which has been converted for hydrogen. In the future, the hydrogen will be used industrially in the TotalEnergies refinery in Leuna. The next step is to optimize the interaction of electricity generation, electrolysis, gas treatment and transport under real conditions and to coordinate the technical processes.

 

With the first hydrogen production, not only an important technical step has been achieved: The overall project is moving closer to its goal of providing green hydrogen on an industrial scale. The completion of the total commissioning of the integrated hydrogen system is planned for 2027.

 

About the project:

 

The Energiepark Bad Lauchstädt is a large-scale real laboratory for the production of green hydrogen and its storage, transport, marketing and use. As a real laboratory of the energy transition, the entire value chain of green hydrogen is being tested on an industrial scale for the first time. Using a 30 MW large-scale electrolysis plant from Sunfire, renewable electricity is used to produce greener hydrogen. Via a converted gas pipeline, the hydrogen will be fed into the hydrogen grid of the chemical industry based in Central Germany and will be used in perspective for urban mobility solutions. The Reallabor thus contributes to researching and bringing these future technologies around green hydrogen to market - for a technologically strong and future-oriented hydrogen region in Central Germany and a successful sector coupling throughout Germany. To this end, the project partners invest a total of 210 million. Euro, which is a subsidy as a "real laboratory of the energy transition" in the amount of 44 million. Euro from the funding programme 7. Energy research programme of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE) contains.

 

About the project partners "Energiepark Bad Lauchstädt":Terrawatt Planungsgesellschaft mbH has been developing and implementing turnkey projects in the field of wind power and photovoltaics for more than 30 years. The many years of experience as a planner, investor, operator and manager makes it possible to take care of the complete project realization from the location search to the turnkey handover of the plants from all perspectives and to design the individual project phases through their own specialist competencies. In addition, the company operates as a service provider and technical consultant nationally and internationally and can draw on a wealth of experience from more than 300 projects with more than 1,500 wind turbines.

 

The Düsseldorf-based company Uniper is a European energy company with a global reach. With around 7,000 employees, the company plays a central role in ensuring a secure energy supply in Europe - especially in its core markets of Germany, the UK, Sweden and the Netherlands. With 18.50 gigawatts of generation capacity, Uniper is the backbone of reliable power generation. As a leading gas trader and one of the most important LNG importers in Northwest Europe, Uniper strengthens security of supply with a broad reference portfolio. By investing in renewable energy, hydrogen and other forms of low-carbon energy sources, Uniper is also driving the transformation of the energy system.

 

In the home market of Germany, Uniper supplies energy and services to around 1,000 municipalities and industrial companies. In addition, Uniper is Germany’s largest operator of gas storage facilities and hydroelectric power plants.

 

VNG Handel & Vertrieb GmbH, headquartered in Leipzig, supplies gas reliably and flexibly to domestic and foreign trading companies, distributors, municipal utilities, power plant operators and industrial customers. Innovative products, diverse services and individual solutions offer comprehensive support in the further development of energy supply and the implementation of energy transformation processes. With sales offices throughout Germany and neighboring countries, investments and business contacts in large parts of Europe and as a company of VNG AG, VNG Handel & Vertrieb GmbH is always close to its customers and internationally well positioned.

 

VNG Gasspeicher GmbH (VGS) is currently the third largest storage operator in Germany with around 31 terrawatt hours (TWh) of storage capacities. As a 100% subsidiary of VNG AG, based in Leipzig, VGS has almost 50 years of experience in the construction and operation of underground gas storage tanks and the associated technological processes. The core business of VGS is the operation of storage facilities and the marketing of storage capacities.

 

ONTRAS Gastransport GmbH (ONTRAS) operates the 7,700-kilometre transmission network in East Germany and is responsible for the reliable and efficient transport of gaseous energy - today and in the future. We actively shape the energy market of the future, contribute ideas and develop sustainable solutions for our infrastructure. We rely on reliable technology, many years of experience and our most important asset: a dedicated team! Our gas infrastructure is compatible with renewable gases and thus also supports a variety of applications for hydrogen such as material applications, mobility and heat. In order to make our infrastructure fit for a renewable gas supply, we plan and realize numerous projects together with partner companies.

 

The DBI - Gastechnologisches Institut gGmbH Freiberg is an independent research institution of the DVGW Deutsche Vereinigung des Gas- und Wasserfaches e.V. She researches the entire supply chain of gaseous energy sources in numerous projects. Since 2005, numerous projects for the integration of green hydrogen have been processed. The experience ranges from technological aspects of underground gas storage, to transport, gas quality assurance to hydrogen utilization technologies in industry and households and their impact on the German and European energy supply system.

 

VNG is a Europe-wide active group of companies with more than 20 companies and around 2,000 employees. As an importer, wholesaler and operator of critical gas infrastructure, VNG makes a significant contribution to the secure gas supply in Germany. At the same time, the company is committed to the decarbonization of the energy system. Against this background, VNG is specifically investing in biogas and hydrogen, expanding hydrogen-capable infrastructure and thus gradually creating the conditions for the ramp-up of renewable and low-carbon gases in Germany and Europe.

 

Source:Fuel Cells Works