RWE subsidiary Nukleus Green H2 has received approval for two 100-MW electrolysers. They are now being built on the site of the Emsland natural gas power plant in Lingen as part of the GET H2 Nukleus hydrogen project. Plans call for 300 MW by 2027.
The approval was granted by the Oldenburg Trade Supervisory Office after it had previously reviewed the 2,250-page application for seven months. This was reported by RWE last Wednesday (September 06).
The 200-MW plant can produce up to 35,000 tons of green hydrogen annually for industrial applications. According to RWE, this is the first approved production facility of this size in Germany. The producer of the hydrogen generators is Germany's Linde Engineering.
200 of 300 MW approved
A permit based on the Federal Immission Control Act is a prerequisite in Germany for the construction and operation of such large-scale plants. All relevant effects of the plant are examined, such as emissions. The permit, which has now been issued, determines which technical, organizational and environmental requirements must be met during construction and operation.
In Lingen, the company plans to create hydrogen production capacity of 300 MW in 100 MW steps by 2027 as part of the GET H2 project. The Group plans to start up the first 14 MW pilot plant here at the end of 2023. This will provide practical experience with various electrolysis technologies (PEM and pressurized alkali).
The project is one of the large-scale hydrogen projects nominated by the German federal and state governments for IPCEI funding in May 2021. A binding funding commitment is still pending. At the end of January, the operating company nevertheless ordered the first two 100 MW electrolysers. In this way, it wants to ensure that the planned start date can be met in the event of approval under state aid law.