In the industrial park Osterweddingen near Magdeburg, the energy transition becomes a living reality. Starting with 2024, the local industrial companies will obtain their H₂-gas needs from renewable sources. Enertrag, one of the largest renewable energy companies in Germany, will produce H₂ at the Osterweddingen industrial park, with the electrical energy required for electrolysis coming exclusively from renewable sources. In addition, H₂ will be fed into Ontras' 100% H₂ pipelines in the medium term. In the first stage of expansion, around two tpd of green H₂ will initially be produced using a 10-MW PEM electrolyzer.

The electrolyzer is to be operated in a system-serving manner to compensate for fluctuations in the generation of electricity from wind and sun and thus relieve the power grid. Green H₂ produced using the electrolyzer will be used to decarbonize heavy industry, as a fuel for long-haul transportation, to generate electricity during a "dunkelflaute" and to feed into H₂ pipelines. There is the possibility of expanding the electrolysis site in the future. The term green H₂ is used in this case because the energy required originates exclusively from renewable sources.

“Enertrag is very proud to accomplish this project, at this great location in the middle of Germany, with many possibilities of deployment, both in industry and in the mobility sector. With this reference plant, we will produce H₂ from renewable energies on an industrial scale,” said Manuela Blaicher, Head of PtX Project Development at Enertrag SE. For the compression, storage and filling necessary for further utilization of the H₂, Enertrag SE has concluded a contract with the companies Streicher Anlagenbau and Neuman & Esser.

The company Streicher Anlagenbau from Gommern is responsible for the technical and commercial project management, the planning of the overall plant and the coordination of the project partners involved. As solution provider for sector integration and H₂ technology located in the near of the industrial park, Streicher is also responsible for the piping, storage and system completion tasks in this project.

"On the way to the energy transition, this project represents for us another important milestone in the right direction. We are very pleased to be able to contribute with the wide experience of our services portfolio," said Sandra Moder, Managing Director of Streicher Anlagenbau GmbH & Co. KG.

In addition to direct use of the H₂ produced in the electrolysis process by local consumers, the gas will be further compressed for transport and storage. The Übach-Palenberg-based supplier of H₂ solutions, Neuman & Esser, will supply the necessary compressor units and support Streicher in integrating them into the overall plant. A total of eight diaphragm compressors (4+4, in two project phases) will compress the H₂ for various applications. Four compressors will compress 90 kg/hr of H₂ to 121 bar for injection into the natural gas grid and another four will compress 45 kg per hour to 501 bar for trailer filling.

"Both the single-stage feed and the two-stage filling compressors are diaphragm compressors of the Neuman & Esser brand Andreas Hofer Hochdrucktechnik and use the same proven compressor crankcase size. The diaphragm heads are of course adapted to the respective application. In the first project phase, two Seite 2/3 compressors each will be installed for pipeline feeding and trailer filling," explained Guido Harsch, the responsible Area Sales Manager at Neuman & Esser.