Everllence has launched the ‘HydroMonia’ research project, together with partners from industry and academia, to develop new power-plant concepts based on medium‑speed, gas‑fueled four‑stroke engines. The project focuses on systems designed to run on either pure hydrogen or pure ammonia — both carbon‑free fuels that produce no CO₂ emissions during combustion.

The initiative brings together WTZ Roßlau gGmbH, the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE in Freiburg, FKFS in Stuttgart and Chemnitz‑based municipal utility and power plant operator, eins energie in sachsen GmbH & Co. KG as an associated partner. The project is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE).

Alexander Knafl, Head of Engineering, R&D Four‑Stroke at Everllence, said, “HydroMonia marks another step in our efforts to deliver climate‑neutral power plant solutions. It supports our wider strategy to develop sustainable technologies and we value the opportunity to collaborate closely with external partners, including a power-plant operator. Decarbonizing electricity begins with decarbonizing fuels — and hydrogen and ammonia are promising options given their carbon‑free nature.”

Everllence expects ammonia‑ and hydrogen‑fueled gas-engine power plants to play a key role during periods of low renewable output — so‑called ‘dark doldrums’  — when electricity generation from wind and solar falls short of demand for extended periods. These gaps cannot currently be covered by battery storage alone and require flexible dispatchable capacity to stabilize the grid.

Christian Kunkel, Head of Combustion Development, Four‑Stroke R&D at Everllence, said, “Gas-engine power plants are well suited to future electricity markets. Compared with alternative technologies, these engines can connect to the grid very quickly and offer exceptional flexibility in load response, making them an important building block in decarbonizing power systems.”

Partner roles

Everllence is responsible for the overall concept, including both the power plant design and the engine concept, as well as the required exhaust aftertreatment systems. Furthermore,

• WTZ Roßlau gGmbH will develop the combustion processes for hydrogen and ammonia engines
• FKFS will provide combustion simulation and pre‑design work
• Fraunhofer ISE will conduct life‑cycle assessments and analyze future scenarios for fuel infrastructure and imports
• eins will contribute operational expertise and technical requirements based on practical experience with gas-engine power plants.

The HydroMonia project started in January 2026 and is scheduled to run for 36 months.