Uniper Plans German Green Hydrogen Hub
German energy group Uniper is carrying out a feasibility study on establishing a national hub for hydrogen in Wilhelmshaven. Plans include an import terminal, which would be equipped with an ammonia splitter for producing green hydrogen. It will also be connected to the planned hydrogen network.
In addition, the project includes plans for a 410-megawatt electrolysis plant that, together with the terminal, would be able to supply about 295,000 t of hydrogen or 10% of the demand forecast for the whole of Germany in 2030.
The hydrogen generated will primarily be used to supply the local industry, but it will also be possible to feed the gas into the national network. Uniper said the ammonia splitter for green hydrogen will be the first scaled plant of its kind.
"It is essential that Germany and Europe remain industrial powerhouses: If we want to achieve this and still hit our ambitious climate protection targets, we need hydrogen to power sectors such as steel production, the chemicals industry or in freight, shipping and air transport,” said Uniper chief operating officer David Bryson, who added that “we need to get hydrogen out of the laboratory and start using it in large-scale applications and marketable industrial solutions.”
According to Bryson, Germany currently plans to generate 14 terawatts of green hydrogen in 2030, but demand then is forecast to be between 90-100 terawatts. “We will be heavily dependent on imports if we want to use hydrogen to help us achieve our climate goals,” he said.
Commissioning of the new terminal is planned for the second half of this decade, depending on national import demand and export opportunities.
Author: Ellaine Burridge, Freelance Journalist
