Handover of the funding notification for the ENERTRAG project "Electrolysis Corridor East Germany"
Dauerthal/Berlin, 16 July 2024 - On 15 July, ENERTRAG received the funding notification for the IPCEI project "Electrolysis Corridor East Germany". IPCEI stands for "Important Projects of Common European Interest" and includes strategic funding projects of the EU Commission for innovation in resource-intensive core market segments. The project is part of the IPCEI Hy2Infra programme, which promotes large-scale electrolyser and infrastructure capacities in Europe. The presentation took place at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection (BMWK) by Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck, who handed over the funding notification to the representatives of the German Hy2Infra funding projects in the presence of the delegates from the federal states in which the projects are being implemented.
The "Electrolysis Corridor East Germany" project comprises an electrolysis capacity of 185 megawatts, spread over two sites in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Brandenburg. Both sites are connected to the so-called hydrogen core network and will feed around 15,000 tonnes of hydrogen per year into the hydrogen pipeline provided by the core network. Locating the two projects in sparsely populated regions promotes local value creation. It is also beneficial to the system, as renewable surplus electricity is refined directly on site instead of being curtailed and the electricity made available to the power grid is stabilised through the system-friendly operation of the electrolysis.
The receipt of the funding certificate represents a significant milestone for ENERTRAG and heralds the realisation phase of the projects. ENERTRAG is one of the first players in this field. The Electrolysis Corridor East Germany emphasises and implements the importance of a robust hydrogen infrastructure for Germany.
Dr Tobias Bischof-Niemz, Member of the Board for Projects International & Technology, emphasises ENERTRAG's contribution to Germany's hydrogen supply: "The promotion of the Electrolysis Corridor East Germany is a decisive step for ENERTRAG and the hydrogen infrastructure in Germany. With our subsidised electrolyser capacities in Brandenburg and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, we have achieved a market share of around 12% in Germany and will thus make a significant contribution to supplying industrial customers with green hydrogen via the hydrogen pipelines of the core network."
Anna Jabloniec-Grüger, Head of Department for the Development of Hydrogen Projects at ENERTRAG, points out the regional added value in two eastern German states: "The realisation of this project shows that Germany is taking on a pioneering role in the field of hydrogen technology. Our sites in Brandenburg and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania are strategically positioned to promote regional development and maximise the efficient use of renewable energies."
Project Manager Eva-Maria Dichtl, explains the relevance of a reliable hydrogen infrastructure: "The approval of the Hy2Infra projects and the handover of the funding certificate mark a decisive step for ENERTRAG. A stable hydrogen pipeline infrastructure is crucial to ensure security of supply, connect large national hydrogen production centres, cavern storage facilities and large hydrogen consumers and thus drive the decarbonisation of heavy industry."