Germany gases towards new power-to-hydrogen facility

The firms involved say converting electricity to hydrogen makes it much easier to store and transport

Hydrogen molecules

Germany’s first large facility to convert wind power to alternative hydrogen fuels will shortly enter development.

Power and gas grid firms Amprion and Open Grid Europe (OGE) said they are now ready to apply to build a 100MW hydrogen plant.

The ‘hybridge’ site in Lingen, north-west Germany, is expected to enter operations from 2023.

The firms say converting electricity to hydrogen makes it much easier to store and transport than alternative mechanisms, as well as having the benefit of reducing the strain on traditional power cables.

They say this will become increasingly important as more renewables are put onto the grid.

The energy regulator will need to approve the application to build the plant and recover around €150 million (£131.25m) in investment costs from grid fees paid by consumers.

Amprion Board Member Klaus Kleinekorte said: “Germany’s climate targets, the withdrawal from nuclear energy and the concrete-looking exit from coal present big challenges to our energy system.

“We have to create conditions now to have power-to-gas technology ready in the gigawatt dimension by 2030, so that we arrive at a system where we can couple different energy sectors.”

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