Shell, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), Vattenfall and Wärme Hamburg have signed a letter of intent for a 100MW hydrogen project in Hamburg.
On 22 January, MHI set out how the companies are exploring how they can jointly produce hydrogen from wind and solar power at the Hamburg-Moorburg power plant site, before then using it within its vicinity. Along with the development of a scalable electrolyser with an initial output of 100MW, they are also planning to further develop the site into a Green Energy Hub, exploring to what extent the existing infrastructure at the location can be used for the production of energy from renewable sources.
Subject to final investment decision and according to the current state of planning, once the site has been cleared, the production of green hydrogen is expected for 2025, making the electrolyser one of the largest plants in Europe. In the first quarter of 2021, the partners will apply for funding under the EU’s Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEI) program with the submission of a first outline for the project.
The partners were noted as regarding the location as having ideal conditions for further use. Notably it is connected to both the national and local networks and overseas ships are able to call at the location directly, using the quay and port facilities as an import terminal. The municipal gas network company is also planning to expand a hydrogen network in the port within the next 10 years, while many potential customers for green hydrogen are situated near the site, enabling the project to cover the entire hydrogen value chain.
