Andritz Hydro and MAN Energy Solutions are teaming up to develop projects that will produce hydrogen from hydropower, with a pilot project in Europe set to mark the start of the cooperation.
Frank Mette, CEO of Andritz Hydro in Germany, and Dr Uwe Lauber, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Technology Officer of MAN Energy Solutions, signed a strategic framework agreement last week.
The companies are aiming to launch an initial joint pilot project before the end of this year, to provide about 650 tons of green hydrogen by using an electrolysis output of up to 4MW, initially for local use. In follow-up projects, designed for the export of hydrogen, the installed electrolysis output is expected to increase to up to 100 MW in the coming years.
The companies said they want to jointly identify further projects and implement them in the context of the German Federal Government's H2 Global initiative. H2 Global is a market-based funding platform, which aims to efficiently promote the market launch of green hydrogen and hydrogen-based power-to-X products. For this purpose, hydrogen energy partnerships are to be established with countries with a correspondingly high potential to provide a long-term, cost-effective, and reliable green hydrogen supply to Germany and the EU.
“Hydropower is one of the few completely climate-neutral forms of energy, which is capable of providing base load power. We therefore see excellent potential for worldwide expansion – in new construction projects just as much as in repowering,” commented Frank Mette. “By adding the possibility of producing hydrogen to hydropower plants, we are taking the next step and also making the energy generated there ready for export and storage without restriction. Together with MAN Energy Solutions, we can open up new markets and opportunities for the operators.”
“The economy of the future will be climate-neutral, and to achieve this it needs huge quantities of green hydrogen,” added Uwe Lauber. “Together with Andritz Hydro, we want to make this resource available. Hydropower plants are ideal for generating hydrogen in a completely climate-neutral, reliable and cost-effective manner. With Andritz Hydro, we have been able to enter into a partnership with a world leader in the field of hydraulic power generation, to develop these prospects together with us.”
