German energy companies RWE and Badenova plan to develop a 50MW electrolyser at the former’s Radag hydroelectric power plant in Albbruck.

Badenova also plans to construct an 8.5km hydrogen pipeline between Albbruck and Waldshut on the German-Swiss border by 2025. The company notes that connection to the European Hydrogen Backbone is likely only from the 2040s, with the pipeline an interim option for industries in the Upper Rhine region.

8.5km – Planned pipeline length

Construction of the electrolyser and pipeline is expected to start early next year, with first hydrogen at the plant planned from the end of 2026. The project is expected to produce 8,000t/yr of hydrogen using renewable electricity sources, with byproduct oxygen and process heat to be used in the district’s planned central hospital and in a nearby sewage treatment plant.

RWE is due to bring its 14MW pilot project in Lingen online this autumn, with installation of electrolysers underway, and is part of the wider GetH2 and North2 large-scale project development consortiums. The company also plans to construct a green ammonia terminal at Brunsbuettel capable of importing 300,000t/yr of ammonia from 2026.

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Author: Polly Martin