Large-scale Danish hydrogen project gets the green light from the EU. The aim is to create energy solutions that can accelerate the green transition.
The construction of a 100 MW electrolysis plant has just received EUR 30 million in funding from the EU’s Horizon 2020 programme. The GreenHyScale project is now officially kicking off at the GreenLab Skive industrial and energy park, which houses a research platform for the development of new technologies. This is being done in collaboration with a number of world-leading partners in offshore wind and renewable energy solutions.
The new plant uses one of the so-called Power-to-X technologies to convert renewable solar and wind energy into hydrogen—a sustainable fuel hailed as a solution to decarbonizing sectors in which it is difficult to use only clean electricity, such as long-distance transport and steel production. The project is the largest of its kind to date.
Today, hydrogen and green fuels based on wind and solar energy still play only a minor role in the energy system, but within a few years Power-to-X is expected to become a major and important piece of the green puzzle of the future. The goal with the project is to demonstrate how to use and utilize electrolysis on a large scale—both on land and at sea. This will help to bring down the price of hydrogen, which in turn will boost demand and accelerate the green transition.
“Carbon-neutral solutions are key to the green transition. With our electrolysis plant, we will be able to produce hydrogen, green methanol, or green ammonia. It can be used for electricity or in the process industry and transport sector, where heavy goods transport and shipping are eager to switch to green propellants,” says Gregor Giebel, senior researcher at DTU Wind Energy.
Operational solutions and life cycle assessments
DTU researchers are supporting the design of the plant’s electrolysis system, developing operational solutions, and conducting life cycle assessments. In addition, DTU is researching how the hydrogen plant and the other renewable energy solutions at GreenLab Skive work together by integrating it with the other facilities and infrastructure at the park.
DTU is also researching ways of integrating hydrogen production with the rest of society. For this purpose, DTU’s researchers are looking at the implications—from a broad societal perspective—of introducing the technology, from when the political decisions are made to the handling of hydrogen production for the local communities.
Initially, a 6 MW demonstration project will be established at GreenLab Skive, which is scheduled for completion in 2022. The project will subsequently be scaled to a 100 MW electrolysis system. The project is due to be completed in 2024.