A grey container with a glass front. On the door there is a sign that says: H2Future - Green Hydrogen

VERBUND as a decarbonisation partner

Hydrogen is the key technology of the energy transformation.

When implementing hydrogen projects with partners from industry, the focus is on the production of green hydrogen close to large customers.

These customers are primarily from the so-called hard-to-abate sectors. These are the areas of the economy where it is difficult to reduce climate-damaging emissions through electrification. They include the chemical industry, the fertiliser industry, the steel industry and refineries.

VERBUND thinking about hydrogen in the short and long term

In the short term, VERBUND is pushing ahead with the expansion of local hydrogen production for direct use by customers. Specifically, VERBUND is working with industrial partners on various projects, with production at customers’ premises ensuring immediate and reliable availability of green hydrogen. The focus here is on the so-called hard-to-abate sectors, which include energy-intensive industries such as fertiliser production, petrochemicals and steel making.

An illustration shows a schematic of a hydrogen electrolyseur. Electricity goes in, H2 comes out.

H2FUTURE: Green hydrogen in the steel industry

With a capacity of six megawatts (6 MW), up to 1,200 m3 of green hydrogen are produced every hour. Green hydrogen is used here to help split water into its basic components of hydrogen and oxygen. The research project was implemented with partners such as voestalpine and Siemens Energy and funded by the European Commission. The six megawatt electrolyser is still being operated by VERBUND and voestalpine after the end of the research project in 2021.

h2future-project.eu

A concrete container with a glass front. The sign on the door says H2Future.

HOTFLEX: Pilot plant for high-temperature electrolysis and fuel cell operation in the Mellach gas power plant

In the research plant, electricity is converted into hydrogen through electrolysis. What makes the Mellach pilot plant special is the second operating mode as a fuel cell. This enables the electrolysis system to operated in reverse. VERBUND is using the HOTFLEX project to test an innovative electrolysis plant as a way to gather experience for future projects.

PanHy: Green hydrogen from Burgenland

Together with Burgenland Energie, VERBUND has set itself the goal of implementing an electrolysis plant – operated with electricity from wind and photovoltaics – in stages from 60 to 300 megawatts. The green hydrogen produced will be supplied to customers in the eastern region.

A 3D Rendering of an H2 installation in front of a windpark.

Green Ammonia Linz Industrial-scale project with LAT Nitrogen Linz

The project of VERBUND and LAT Nitrogen, currently the largest hydrogen user in Austria, aims to replace ~10% of the grey hydrogen currently used with green hydrogen.

This will save up to 90,000 tonnes of CO2 per year. The 60MW electrolyser at the Linz Chemical Park will produce up to 7,000 tonnes of green hydrogen per year, which will then be used in the production of fertilisers, melamine and technical nitrogen. There are also plans to use the by-products O2 and waste heat directly on site.

gramli.at

A 3D Model of a white building. In front containers and a truck.

Underground Sun Storage 2030

In the research project “USS2030” funded via the Climate and Energy Fund, VERBUND is working with partners under the direction of RAG to store large volumes of solar energy on a seasonal basis in the form of hydrogen – with the use of existing storage infrastructure. The research project will be implemented within the scope of the pioneering region for energy “WIVA Power & Gas”.

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