In Wunsiedel, Upper Franconia, one of Germany’s largest green hydrogen generation plants has been planned digitally and commissioned by Siemens, demonstrating the key role hydrogen can play in Germany’s energy future.
Around one year after the official groundbreaking ceremony, Bavaria’s Minister-President Markus Söder, Siemens Managing Board member Matthias Rebellius and Siemens Financial Services CEO Veronika Bienert handed over the plant to the operating company WUN H2, represented by Managing Directors Thilo Rießner and Philipp Matthes. (See photograph)
Up to 1,350 tonnes of green hydrogen can now be generated annually from renewable solar and wind power in the Wunsiedel Energy Park. Hydrogen is generated by an electrolyzer – with a total capacity of 8.75 MW– from Siemens Energy’s latest and most powerful product line.
Talks regarding the expansion of the plant’s capacity to 17.5 MW are already underway.
The “Silyzer 300” is based on proton exchange membrane (PEM) technology, which is optimally suited for operation with renewable energies. The hydrogen will be used primarily in the region’s industrial and commercial enterprises, but also in road transport.
With this amount of hydrogen, 400 hydrogen-powered 40-tonne trucks could – assuming a regional distance of 150 kilometers per day – drive for an entire year without emitting any CO2. By using the hydrogen generated in Wunsiedel and the related replacement of fossil fuels, annual CO2 emissions can be cut by up to 13,500 tonnes
As general contractor, Siemens Smart Infrastructure is responsible for the construction of the hydrogen plant and the creation of an intelligently monitored and controlled power grid. The customer for green hydrogen is the regional business community – encompassing everything from the glass and ceramics industry to transport companies, automotive suppliers and the neighboring sawmill.
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The hydrogen will be distributed by truck trailers on a decentralized basis to end customers mainly within a radius of around 150 to 200 kilometers (Northern Bavaria, Thuringia, Southern Saxony and Western Bohemia). In addition, following the construction of an H2 filling station at the Wunsiedel Energy Park, scheduled for completion in 2023, the regional fleet of commercial vehicles can be decarbonized.
