The Bad Lauchstädt energy park, one of the pioneering projects of the energy transition, is entering the execution phase. Uniper has ordered a 30 MW pressurised alkaline electrolyser from the Dresden-based electrolysis company Sunfire. Its delivery is scheduled for 2024.
The project will realise the production, transport, storage, and economic use of green hydrogen on an industrial scale in Saxony-Anhalt, showcasing: new solutions for the future energy infrastructure. Together with its project partners, Uniper is helping to create value and jobs in the region affected by structural change.
Sunfire CEO Nils Aldag says: "With this significant new order, we are making an important contribution to the successful ramp-up of the hydrogen economy as well as to the transformation of the chemical industry in Germany. We are happy to partner with Uniper to further scale up hydrogen production."
Dr. Axel Wietfeld, CEO Hydrogen at Uniper said: “The hydrogen project is not only unique for the Central German region – it is also an important step for ramping up the hydrogen economy throughout Europe. "The Bad Lauchstädt energy park covers the entire value chain including the production, transport, storage, distribution and use of green hydrogen. With Sunfire, we have found the ideal partner for realizing the central pillar of the project. Together, we will drive forward the local energy transition.” Furthermore, green hydrogen is a promising solution for ensuring a future energy supply that is independent of Russian gas imports.
Sunfire's 30 MW electrolysis plant is currently one of the largest planned systems of its kind. At the energy park in Bad Lauchstädt, the electrolyser will produce green hydrogen with renewable electricity from a nearby wind farm. In a second phase of the project, the hydrogen produced can be temporarily stored in a specially equipped salt cavern. Afterwards, it will be fed into the local chemical industries’ hydrogen network via a repurposed gas pipeline. In the future, it will also be used in urban mobility solutions, for example in hydrogen-powered buses.
Sunfire has already proven its high-performing pressurised alkaline technology in numerous projects. With its electrolysis solutions, Sunfire helps industrial companies and utilities to save fossil fuels and CO2 emissions in the long term. To meet the high demand in the market, the Dresden-based company is currently industrialising its electrolyser production. Just recently, Sunfire received a triple-digit million funding from the federal government and the EU as part of the “Important Projects of Common European Interest“ (IPCEI) to scale its hydrogen technologies.
For more information about the Bad Lauchstädt Energy Park, go to: energiepark-bad-lauchstaedt.de.
For more news and technical articles from the global hydrogen sector, read the latest issue of Global Hydrogen Review magazine.
Global Hydrogen Review's Spring 2022 issue
The inaugural issue of Global Hydrogen Review is full of detailed technical articles and case studies exploring the entire spectrum of hydrogen production and its applications worldwide. This issue covers a range of topics including the current status of blue hydrogen, how cryogenic technology is helping to shape the energy transition, and integrity management of hydrogen pipelines. Other features include green hydrogen, simulation, transportation, compressor technology, and much more.