In Germany, Lhyfe a leading European producer of green and renewable hydrogen for transportation and industrial applications, has held a groundbreaking ceremony in the Port of Brake (Unterweser) marking the start of construction for a green hydrogen production plant.
The site project is located on land in the harbour area of Niedersachsen Ports (NPorts), the largest public seaport operator in Germany.
The decision to build a green hydrogen plant in the port of Brake is an important step towards regional decarbonization. I am delighted that Lhyfe is realising this together with us and at the same time, I am very proud that we as the town of Brake (Unterweser) are positioning ourselves as a pioneer for clean energy technologies. The project is helping to strengthen the local economy and our town in the long term. The availability of hydrogen locally creates new opportunities for companies and promotes the development of environmentally friendly technologies. The Port of Brake will become a hub for green innovation and sustainable growth. I firmly believe that this initiative will lead not only our industry but also our region into a successful and low-carbon future, said Michael Kurz, Mayor of Brake (Unterweser).
The plant would be the first in the northern German region to make green hydrogen available to the wider market.
The plant will produce up to 1,150 tonnes of green hydrogen per year (installed electrolysis capacity of 10 MW).
We are delighted to be able to realize this 10 MW project. It demonstrates the economic viability of hydrogen solutions in the transport and industrial sectors and supports the state of Lower Saxony in its ambitious goals of building a nationwide hydrogen infrastructure. The Port of Brake offers ideal conditions for the construction of green hydrogen plants. This project is also an important signal for Lhyfe and a sign of our ambition to make the future of energy supply more sustainable. Thanks to our many years of experience in the field of green and renewable hydrogen, we can meet the growing local demand for clean hydrogen. With this project, we are also driving value creation in the region. The local availability of green hydrogen will create new jobs and companies in the region will benefit from affordable clean hydrogen, said Luc Graré, Head of Central & Eastern Europe at Lhyfe.
Help decarbonize seaport complex
The electricity will come from wind and photovoltaic plants in the country, through corporate power purchase agreements (PPAs).
Potential off-takers would include various industrial and mobility applications.
The project in Lower Saxony will play a major role in decarbonizing the industrial port complex and maritime transport.
By supplying green hydrogen, our seaport of Brake has even more to offer. This will enable the port industry to increasingly dispense with fossil fuels. A broad network is served over short distances. We see this as an important contribution to the energy transition and circular economy in the region. The port of Brake offers the complete package, including the available space and trimodal connections to rail, road, and waterways. We look forward to working together to develop the site’s sustainable future, explained Holger Banik, Managing Director of Niedersachsen Ports GmbH & Co. KG and JadeWeserPort Realisierungs GmbH & Co. KG.
The project represents a further milestone in the market ramp-up of green hydrogen and is embedded in the region’s local value creation thanks to the diverse areas of application in mobility and industry.
Today’s groundbreaking ceremony is a great success for the energy transition in our coastal region: it not only marks significant progress towards a sustainable energy supply but also a clear commitment to regional value creation and decarbonization. The port location of Brake offers ideal conditions for the production of renewable hydrogen. With this project, we are not only strengthening regional development but also networking between industry and local stakeholders who are working together on innovative and sustainable solutions. Many thanks for the support of all the partners who have made this ambitious project possible. It combines innovation, sustainability, and regional strength and is an example of successful collaboration on the path to a comprehensive and sustainable transformation of our energy system, commented Lower Saxony Economics Minister Olaf Lies.
Part of a project pipeline
Lhyfe recently announced the start of construction of the largest hydrogen production plant in Baden-Württemberg, in Schwäbisch Gmünd.
The ground-breaking ceremony of this 10 MW production plant took place in October 2023.
Lhyfe produces green and renewable hydrogen by water electrolysis, in production facilities powered by renewable energy.
The company’s first site has already been in operation since the second half of 2021, while two other sites in France were inaugurated in December 2023.
Several other sites are currently under construction across Europe (France, Germany and Sweden).
