The Energiepark is now entering the phase in which the components of the overall system will be tested together. This brings the planned industrial use of Green Hydrogen, set to begin in 2027, one step closer.
30 MW for hydrogen production
The pressurized alkaline electrolyzer consists of three modules, each with a capacity of ten megawatts. Each module comprises two so-called stacks, where the electrochemical conversion of water into hydrogen and oxygen takes place.
Construction of the large-scale electrolyzer began with the official groundbreaking in June 2023. With the first hydrogen production now underway, a decisive stage has begun on the path toward integrated operation of the Energiepark: the technical foundation for hydrogen production has been established, and the focus now shifts to the interaction with the other components of the value chain.
Dual expertise from production to marketing
Uniper and VNG H&V jointly manage the construction and operation of the large-scale electrolysis plant through their joint venture, Elektrolyse Mitteldeutschland GmbH (EMG). Uniper contributes its international experience in developing hydrogen projects along the entire value chain.
With its expertise in wholesale gas trading, VNG H&V is responsible for marketing the hydrogen produced at the Energiepark, thereby supporting the development of trading and sales structures for this new energy carrier.
"With the production of the first hydrogen, we are moving closer to our shared goal of converting renewable energy into an energy carrier that can be used by industry. These first molecules of hydrogen are a first indication of what is to come: around 3,000 tonnes of hydrogen that our anchor customer will purchase and use in industrial applications next year.
"The testing phase now getting underway is an important step in bringing the individual components together and paving the way for future supply," said Konstantin von Oldenburg, Managing Director of VNG H&V
"The hydrogen economy needs more than electrolyzers. It needs functioning links between renewable power generation and industrial customers. That is exactly what we are working on in Bad Lauchstädt. Producing the first hydrogen is an important milestone. The key now is to ensure that the entire process chain operates reliably," added Holger Kreetz, COO of Uniper
From wind farm to refinery
The Energiepark Bad Lauchstädt brings together the entire hydrogen value chain at a single site. The connected wind farm has an installed capacity of around 50 megawatts and supplies renewable electricity for the electrolysis process.
For onward transport, the project uses a roughly 25-kilometer former natural gas pipeline owned by ONTRAS Gastransport GmbH, which has been converted for hydrogen use. In the future, the hydrogen is intended to be used industrially at TotalEnergies’ refinery in Leuna. The next step is to optimize the interaction between power generation, electrolysis, gas processing and transport under real operating conditions, and to align the technical processes with one another.
With the first hydrogen production, an important technical step has thus been achieved: the overall project is moving closer to its goal of supplying Green Hydrogen on an industrial scale. Full commissioning of the integrated hydrogen system is scheduled for completion in 2027.
