World’s First 1 MW Large-Scale Gas Engine Begins Field Test for Hydrogen Operation
• Field conversion of a natural-gas combined heat and power plant to run on 100% hydrogen
• Important milestone for Germany in its pursuit of climate neutrality and for the European energy sector as a whole
• Security of investment for the operators through the long-term use of existing infrastructure
JENBACH (Austria), November 26, 2020 –
The recent initiation of field testing on the converted combined heat and power (CHP) plant in the Othmarschen area of Hamburg marks a decisive step forward in a joint flagship project by INNIO* Jenbacher* and HanseWerk Natur. This 1-megawatt pilot plant from INNIO Jenbacher represents the world’s first large-scale gas engine in the 1 MW range that can be operated either with 100% natural gas or with variable hydrogen-natural gas mixtures up to 100% hydrogen.
“Our joint project with HanseWerk Natur is a key milestone on the path toward climate neutrality since green hydrogen is an important part of the solution. A particularly attractive aspect of our gas engine technology is that existing natural gas engines can also be converted to run on hydrogen. This offers operators security of investment, with the added benefit that the existing infrastructure can not only be utilized in the longer term, but also deployed in a way that is environmentally sound,” said Carlos Lange, President and CEO of INNIO.
The testing program will evaluate how the plant operates with different hydrogen-natural gas mixtures and is expected to provide important insights for the future operation of similar plants. “By field testing this INNIO CHP plant with up to 100% hydrogen, we are demonstrating that a greener, more reliable, more flexible and future-orientated energy supply for Hamburg is technically feasible,” explained a delighted Thomas Baade, Technical Director of HanseWerk Natur GmbH.
The converted CHP plant provides 30 residential buildings, a sports center, a daycare center, and the Othmarschen Park leisure complex with a reliable supply of local heating that equates to 13,000 megawatt hours every year. The electricity generated is fed to electric vehicle charging points in Othmarschen’s multi-level parking garage as well as to the local power grid.
* Designates a trademark
About HanseWerk AG
HanseWerk AG is a German energy service provider with a focus on grid operation and decentralized energy generation. Its networks and plants supply, directly or indirectly, more than 3 million customers in the federal states of Schleswig-Holstein, Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Brandenburg, and Lower Saxony with electricity, natural gas, water, or heat. Through its subsidiary, HanseWerk Natur, the company is responsible for 560 miles (900 kilometers) of local heating networks, 9,000 heating plants in addition to 200 combined heat and power plants. Over the last few years, HanseWerk AG has connected tens of thousands of plants for the generation of renewable energy, feeding almost 9,000 MW into the grid.
About INNIO
INNIO is a leading solutions provider of gas engines, power equipment, a digital platform, and related services for power generation and gas compression at or near the point of use. With our Jenbacher and Waukesha product brands, INNIO pushes beyond the possible and looks boldly toward tomorrow. Our diverse portfolio of reliable, economical, and sustainable industrial gas engines generates 200 kW to 10 MW of power for numerous industries globally. We can provide life-cycle support to the more than 52,000 delivered gas engines worldwide. And, backed by our service network in more than 100 countries, INNIO connects with you locally for rapid response to your service needs. Headquartered in Jenbach, Austria, the business also has primary operations in Welland, Ontario, Canada, and Waukesha, Wisconsin, US. For more information, visit the company’s website at www.innio.com. Follow INNIO on Twitter and LinkedIn.
For further information please contact:
Susanne Reichelt
INNIO
+43 664 80833 2382