Project Overview

The Clean Hydrogen Coastline (Das Wasserstoffzentrum Nordwest) project is an IPCEI (Important Project of Common European Interest) project that is being developed to meet the hydrogen demand of renewable energies in the German North Sea. It is a part of the Hy2Infra wave of IPCEI that aims to expand the hydrogen economy in the region of northwest Germany.

The IPCEI ‘s Central Hydrogen Coastline project is implemented through four sub-projects. These projects are the Emden, Bremen, Huntorf storage and Weser Ems region projects. The entire central hydrogen coastline project is divided into two hydrogen production plants, one storage unit and a hydrogen pipeline construction for hydrogen transportation. The green hydrogen produced from Emden and Bremen production plants will be supplied for climate-neutral steel production.

The remaining two projects include converting natural gas storage into hydrogen storage and constructing a new hydrogen pipeline for transportation. The Weser project includes a number of pipelines constructed as a part of the future pan-European hydrogen transport network. The pipeline will connect the Emden, and Bremen hydrogen plants with the Huntorf storage facilities. This pipeline will supply the hydrogen produced to users like ArcelorMittal for steel manufacturing.

Project Layout

The Central Hydrogen Coastline (Das Wasserstoffzentrum Nordwest) is categorised into four sub-projects:

• Emden: It includes the construction of a hydrogen plant with 320 MW electrolyzer capacity. EWE contracted Siemens Energy to construct the Emden hydrogen production plant. It also includes the Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) electrolysis plant installation and peripherals like compressors and cooling systems. The Emden project will likely be commissioned by 2028 and supply 26,000 tons of green hydrogen annually.

• Bremen: This hydrogen production plant has an electrolysis capacity of 50 MW that will be constructed in the Hanseatic city. EWE signed a contract with ArcelorMittal that EWE will supply green hydrogen produced from Bremen to produce climate neutral steel.

• Huntorf Storage: Under the central hydrogen coastline, the Carvan storage facility (natural gas storage facility) near Berlin will be converted into hydrogen storage. It has a capacity of 70 Gwh (Gigawatt hours of hydrogen), and its storage capacity is sufficient to store excess hydrogen produced from the grid and supply hydrogen during peak demand. The Hy Ca Vmobil research project stores its green hydrogen production in the Carvan storage facility.

• Weser: This project comprises constructing a new pipeline for the transportation of green hydrogen. This pipeline is built to connect hydrogen production plants, hydrogen storage facilities and its users with the existing German hydrogen network.

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Project Location

The project is located near the Emden and Bremen regions. The green hydrogen produced in the Emden and Bremen plants will be transported to the Huntorf region for storage and will be transported through pipelines constructed in the Weser Ems region.

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Project Timeline

Mid July 2024: EWE received funding for the four projects from the Federal Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate Action of Germany Dr. Robert Habeck and local state governments of Lower Saxony and Bremen. During this period, the project management and consultant Drees & Sommer conducted the tendering process and awarded the electrolyzer contract to Siemens Energy. Both EWE and Siemens Energy signed a ten year service contract.

January 2024: EWE & ArcelorMittal signed a contract that EWE will supply the green h2 produced from the Bremen production plant to Arcelor Mittal for the climate neutral steel manufacturing.

August 2023: EWE & Georgsmarienhutte Gmbh signed a contract that EWE will supply green H2 to Georgsmarienhutte Gmbh for the production of climate neutral steel.

May 2023: EWE & Salzgitter AG signed a contract that EWE will supply green H2 to Salzgitter AG for steel manufacturing.

February 2021: EWE applied for funding under the European IPCEI program (Important Project of Common European Interest) 

Project Cost

The estimated project cost for the Clean Hydrogen Coastline is around EUR 800 million. About EUR 500 million have been allocated by the federal funds Federal Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate Action of Germany and state funds from (Lower Saxony and Bremen governments).

Investors

The Clean Hydrogen Coastline (CHC) is built through public co-financing by federal funds from the Federal Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate Action of Germany and state funds from Lower Saxony and Bremen. The FID (Final Investment Decision) was taken by the EWE Committee a few weeks ago.  

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Contractors

Summary 

The Clean Hydrogen Coastline is a part of the Hy2Infra wave under the IPCEI (Important Project of Common European Interest). This project is divided into four part projects in the regions Emden, Bremen, Huntorf and Weser. The Emden and Bremen are hydrogen production plants with 320 MW and 50 MW capacity. The Huntorf region has natural gas storage that will be converted into hydrogen storage and hydrogen pipelines will be constructed in the Weser region.

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