With new state funding, Entega is moving forward with its hydrogen plant in Darmstadt. The facility will produce green hydrogen to help decarbonise the local public transport system.
Key Takeaways
- Entega is advancing its hydrogen plant project in Darmstadt, funded by the state of Hesse with approximately €1.65 million.
- The facility will produce green hydrogen to help decarbonise local public transport, commencing operations in the first quarter of 2027.
- It will generate around 310 tonnes of green hydrogen annually, sufficient to run about 40 buses and save 4,000 tonnes of CO2 per year.
- The project uses an electrolyser to split water into hydrogen and oxygen with green electricity, with components supplied by the specialist Fest.
- Uncertainty remains regarding the broader hydrogen economy, particularly for future customers about network access and pricing.
The German energy provider Entega has received a funding commitment from the state of Hesse for its hydrogen production project. The facility will be located on the premises of the Darmstadt waste-to-energy plant, which is owned by the special-purpose association for waste utilisation in southern Hesse (ZAS) and operated by Entega.
The state is supporting the project with approximately €1.65 million. These funds are provided through the economic and infrastructure bank of Hesse (WI-Bank) and originate from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
Production To Commence In 2027
The production facility is scheduled to commence regular operations in the first quarter of 2027. The project is also receiving support from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy as part of the Delta real-world laboratory project.
According to Entega, the funding commitment is a significant signal from the state of Hesse. However, the company stated that the broader framework for scaling up the hydrogen economy remains characterised by uncertainty. For potential customers, it is not yet clear when they might be connected to a hydrogen network, nor at what price and in what quantity hydrogen will be available.
Green Hydrogen For Public Transport
Using an electrolyser, the plant will split water into hydrogen and oxygen with the aid of green electricity. It is designed to produce around 310 tonnes of green hydrogen annually. This output is sufficient to operate approximately 40 buses.
This transition is expected to save an estimated 4,000 tonnes of CO2 per year compared to the consumption of diesel. The hydrogen is planned to be collected by trailers to refuel the buses at the depots of the local transport companies. The contract for the technical components was awarded to the hydrogen plant specialist Fest from Goslar, which will install the electrolyser, compressor, and the hydrogen trailer filling station.
Leave a Reply