Germany’s Uniper said Tuesday it plans to build a hydrogen hub instead of an LNG import terminal in Wilhelmshaven.
The unit of Finland’s Fortum is working on a feasibility study to import green ammonia.
To remind, Uniper said in November it was re-evaluating plans to build its Wilhelmshaven FSRU project due to a lack of customer interest.
The new project would have an “ammonia cracker” for producing green hydrogen and Uniper will connect it to the planned hydrogen network.
In addition, the firm also plans a 410-megawatt electrolysis plant.
In combination with the import terminal, the plant would meet around 295,000 metric tons or 10 percent of the demand expected for the whole of Germany in 2030, it said.
Hydrogen will supply local industry, but Uniper plans also to send it into the national hydrogen network as well.
The German firm aims to launch the new terminal in the second half of this decade, depending on national import demand and export opportunities.
“It is essential that Germany and Europe remain industrial powerhouses: If we want to achieve this and still hit our ambitious climate protection targets, we need hydrogen to power sectors such as steel production, the chemicals industry or in freight, shipping and air transport,” David Bryson, COO Uniper, said.
Currently, Germany plans to generate 14 TWh of green hydrogen in 2030, but analysis shows that the demand for that year could hit 90–100 TWh, according to Bryson.
“We will be heavily dependent on imports if we want to use hydrogen to help us achieve our climate goals,” he said.