Dauerthal/Osterweddingen, 13.05.2024 | In Osterweddingen near Magdeburg, the energy transition is entering the next phase: the ground-breaking ceremony at the local industrial park - just under two kilometres from the planned Intel chip factory - marks the start of construction of an electrolyser from ENERTRAG that will enable local industrial companies to cover their hydrogen requirements in future. ENERTRAG will produce green hydrogen for this purpose, with the electrical energy required for electrolysis coming exclusively from renewable sources - in this case from the Uckermark energy company's own wind fields. Furthermore, hydrogen is to be fed into ONTRAS' hydrogen pipelines in the medium term. In the first expansion stage, around 900 tonnes of green hydrogen per year are to be produced using a 10 MW PEM electrolyser. The electrolyser will be operated to support the system in order to compensate for fluctuations in the generation of electricity from wind and solar power and thus reduce the load on the electricity grid.

The green hydrogen will be used to decarbonise industry, as a fuel for long-haul transport, to feed into hydrogen pipelines and, in the long term, to generate electricity during a ‘dark doldrums’. It is possible to increase the capacity of the electrolysis site by a further 10 MW. In addition, a further expansion stage with a capacity of over 100 MW is already being planned.

New partnerships for green hydrogen

Several partner companies have already agreed to co-operate with ENERTRAG in order to use or distribute the green hydrogen:

KEYOU is a Munich-based company that develops hydrogen technologies for commercial vehicles. The company focuses on converting diesel vehicles into hydrogen vehicles and offers fleet operators a comprehensive ‘Hydrogen Mobility as a Service’ approach. The aim is to build a holistic ecosystem for the market launch of hydrogen vehicles together with partners.

ENERTRAG and KEYOU are planning to implement a hydrogen mobility hub project in Osterweddingen. This will utilise ENERTRAG's green hydrogen production and KEYOU's hydrogen trucks. By introducing KEYOU's hydrogen combustion technology in the region around Osterweddingen, the decarbonisation of transport fleets can be driven forward, which in turn is a milestone in the commercial vehicle sector.

Ryze Power GmbH plans, builds and operates alternative fuel infrastructures for the transport and industrial sector as an alternative to diesel fuel. It procures these fuels from third-party suppliers and delivers them to B2B customers via its own infrastructure.

ENERTRAG and Ryze intend to cooperate extensively to promote green hydrogen (GH2) in the mobility and construction machinery sector to ensure the utilisation of ENERTRAG's planned electrolysers. This cooperation is intended to create synergies, allowing ENERTRAG to benefit from Ryze's logistics and customer management expertise. In this way, both companies want to contribute to the successful implementation of the green hydrogen infrastructure in Germany.

Politicians welcome hydrogen project in Osterweddingen

In addition to ENERTRAG's partners, many representatives from state and local politics were also present at the ground-breaking ceremony to demonstrate their political and social commitment to the development of the hydrogen infrastructure.

Prof Dr Armin Willingmann (SPD), Minister for Science, Energy, Climate Protection and the Environment of Saxony-Anhalt, said the following: "Green hydrogen is absolutely central to the success of the energy transition. As a climate-friendly raw material and energy source, it is becoming increasingly important for large parts of our economy. That is why we in Saxony-Anhalt are consistently focussing on this topic of the future and want to continue to make a name for ourselves as a competitive hydrogen state. In addition to a top infrastructure, this also requires many projects for the production of green hydrogen, which are being developed throughout the state and also here at the Osterweddingen Industrial Park. I am delighted that Enertrag is driving forward this future-oriented project in the Magdeburg region and wish the company and its partners every success."

Martin Stichnoth (CDU), District Administrator for the Börde district, is delighted with the choice of Osterweddingen as a location and the start of the decarbonisation of transport: ‘The ground-breaking ceremony for the electrolyser at the Osterweddingen industrial park shows once again that the Börde district is a worthwhile investment location in Saxony-Anhalt. We are also sending out an important signal for the future viability of our region. Hydrogen projects such as this are crucial for sustainable and climate-friendly development and thus strengthen the foundations already laid in the Börde district from wind and solar energy. I am delighted that we can make a joint contribution to climate protection and wish the company and its employees good development in general - and in Osterweddingen in particular."

Jörg Methner, Mayor of Sülzetal, also sees nothing but advantages for the Osterweddingen industrial park: ‘We are of course delighted about every new business in our community and welcome ENERTRAG to our municipal family. But the renewable energy sector in particular is an important component for future-oriented development in our municipality.

I see many opportunities here to grow together and am happy to offer our support in any form."

In his welcoming address, Dr Tobias Bischof-Niemz, Member of the Executive Board for International Projects & Technology, focused in particular on the exemplary effect that the construction of the electrolyser will have for the region: ‘We are delighted to be breaking ground for our electrolyser here in Osterweddingen and thus taking a decisive step towards green hydrogen production for the region. Hydrogen is an indispensable building block for the energy transition and offers solutions for decarbonising various sectors, from heavy industry to long-haul transport. By linking directly to our nearby wind and solar farms, this electrolyser will not only produce green hydrogen, but will also promote further industrialisation in the region and increase local value creation."