RWE has commissioned a 14 MW pilot electrolyzer in Lingen at the site of its Emsland gas-fired power plant in northwest Germany.
The plant can produce up to 270 kilograms of green hydrogen per hour and represents a significant step forward in RWE’s strategy to become a leading provider of large-scale green hydrogen production.
The electrolyzer uses electricity from renewable sources and is therefore a cornerstone in the process of decarbonising German industry.
The Lingen project is part of a broader initiative by RWE to strengthen its presence in the green hydrogen sector.
This pilot plant is accompanied by a large-scale development as part of the GET H2 Nukleus project, which will see the construction of an electrolyzer with a capacity of 100 MW by 2025, with the capacity being able to be expanded to 300 MW by 2027.
These projects are funded with public funds, in particular from the federal government and the state of Lower Saxony.
Technological challenges and public support
The Lingen project is based on the integration of two different electrolysis technologies: a 10 MW alkaline electrolyzer from Sunfire and a 4 MW proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer developed by Linde in collaboration with ITM Power.
These technologies are tested under real conditions to assess their efficiency and compatibility with large-scale production.
The results of these tests will provide valuable data for optimizing future industrial projects. The commitment of the German authorities to this project underlines the strategic importance of green hydrogen for achieving the country’s climate goals. Robert Habeck, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection, and Stephan Weil, Prime Minister of Lower Saxony, both reiterated their support for these initiatives, stressing that green hydrogen is essential to reduce Germany’s dependence on fossil fuels and support the country’s energy transition.
Impact on industry and infrastructure
RWE plans to use the hydrogen produced in Lingen in several industrial applications.
First, it will be injected into the power plant’s gas turbines to test its effectiveness as an alternative fuel.
This approach reduces CO2 emissions while maintaining stable energy production.
And: From 2025, hydrogen will also be used as fuel for vehicles through the construction of a filling station on the power plant site.
The development of green hydrogen at the Lingen site is symbolic of the challenges facing the energy industry.
In addition to significant technological advances, large-scale production also requires suitable infrastructure for the transport and storage of hydrogen.
RWE, in partnership with other industrial companies and with the support of the public sector, is playing a key role in shaping this new energy sector.
The success of these projects will depend on the further development of storage technologies, the expansion of distribution networks and the ability of industry to use hydrogen as a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels.
