Long-term future confirmed for the Mainz Energy Park

The previous project partners, Mainzer Stadtwerke AG and Linde GmbH, have now agreed to expand their cooperation accordingly in order to modernise the most important plant components on the site of the energy park in Hechtsheim, Germany.

The Mainz Energy Park began operations in 2015 as a pilot project that attracted national attention. Since its commissioning 10 years ago, hydrogen has been produced here using environmentally friendly electricity generated from wind power. Hydrogen is easy to store and has a wide range of uses as an energy carrier, for example as an environmentally friendly fuel in mobility or for electricity generation in modern power plants. In addition, hydrogen is primarily used as a process gas by various Linde industrial customers.

Due to the technology developments in recent years, the company now wants to take the plant to the next level. Over the next two years, Mainzer Stadtwerke AG and Linde GmbH will therefore build the Mainz Energy Park 2.0 on site. The 10-year-old electrolysers are to be replaced by modern systems with a total output of almost 5 MW. The existing hydrogen filling system will also be modernised: the outlet pressure will now be 300 bar, compared to 200 bar previously. Once commissioned, this will lead to, among other things, lower hydrogen transport costs and increased plant efficiency. Due to the process, the compressor and hydrogen dryer also have to be rebuilt on site. Following the compressor, a new trailer filling system capable of operating at 300 bar pressure will be required, as well as extensive modifications to the electrical, measurement, and control systems.

The project is receiving approximately €2.5 million in funding from the Federal Ministry for Digital Affairs and Transport. Implementation of the Mainz 2.0 Energy Park will begin in summer 2025, with commissioning planned for 2027.

Kerstin Stumpf, Chief Technology Officer of Mainzer Stadtwerke AG, commented: "In 2015, thanks to federal subsidies, we and our partners in Hechtsheim launched a groundbreaking project for environmentally friendly hydrogen production from renewable electricity. The long-term collaboration we have now agreed on for the modernisation of the energy park demonstrates the sustainability of this concept. We would therefore also like to thank the federal government for its financial support."

"We are delighted to be working with Mainzer Stadtwerke to advance the next development stage of this project," added Dr Mathias Kranz, President of the Germany Gases Region at Linde. "Linde is supporting Germany's energy transition with solutions that pragmatically reconcile cost-effectiveness and resource conservation. The new plant in Mainz will continue to produce certified clean hydrogen to supply our industrial customers in the coming years."

Read the article online at: https://www.globalhydrogenreview.com/hydrogen/11082025/long-term-future-confirmed-for-the-mainz-energy-park/