Sleeping Giant

The Wasserstoff Lichtenau GmbH & Co. KG is planning to build a 10 MW electrolyser in the energy city of Lichtenau. The aim is to use surplus wind energy to produce green hydrogen, thereby ensuring sustainable energy utilisation. The hydrogen produced will primarily supply the local steel and cement industries as well as hydrogen filling stations. In addition, the project will test the grid-friendly storage of hydrogen in order to reduce the curtailment of local wind turbines in the long term and enable better grid integration of renewable energies.

A particular advantage of the location is an existing, unused high-pressure natural gas pipeline with a length of around six kilometres and a diameter of one metre. Due to its large dimensions and high operating pressure, this pipeline can not only be used to transport green hydrogen, but can also be tested as seasonal storage. The state of North Rhine-Westphalia is funding the project with around 11.2 million euros. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2026.

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