Once operational the electrolyser facility will begin generating up to 290kg of green hydrogen per hour from spring 2023, in its trial operating phase which is initially planned for three-years.

The Lingen location plays a key role in RWE’s hydrogen strategy: As part of the GET H2 project, the company plans to set up its first 100MW electrolyser facility there by 2024. Its capacity will then be expanded to 300MW by 2026.

RWE aims to use the trial facility to test two electrolyser technologies under industrial conditions.

Sopna Sury, Chief Operating Officer for Hydrogen at RWE Generation SE, advised that RWE also intends to invest a further €30m ($31.56m) in the construction of the test electrolyser at its Emsland gas-fired power station.

Sury commented, “By 2030, RWE will have created 2GW of electrolyser capacity of its own in order to generate green hydrogen.

“The funding commitment by the Ministry of the Environment in Lower Saxony is a crucial contribution towards ensuring that this pilot project can be implemented and will pave the way for future large-scale facilities.”

Dresden manufacturer Sunfire will install a 10MW capacity pressure-alkaline electrolyser, while Linde will set up a 4MW proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyser.

Olaf Lies, Minister for the Environment, Energy, Building and Climate Protection of the State of Lower Saxony said, “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 making an important contribution to this project.”

The hydrogen generated by the Lingen facility will be fed into a public hydrogen network or be mixed with fuel for gas turbines at the power plant, H2 View understands.

The approval application for the pilot facility has been submitted. Assuming it gets the green light from the authorities, construction work will begin in June.