Ceremonial Inauguration of Bavaria's First Grid-Closed 5-Megawatt Hydrogen Production Plant in Pfeffenhausen

­Last Friday, in the presence of representatives from politics and the media, the shareholders of Hy2B Wasserstoff GmbH and the project partners, the go-ahead was given for the commissioning of the first grid-connected 5-megawatt hydrogen production plant in Bavaria at the site of the future hydrogen centre in Pfeffenhausen. Kraftanlagen Energies & Services SE has been appointed as general contractor for the construction and commissioning of the plant. Commercial operation of the electrolyser is scheduled to commence in the second half of the year.

Once operational, the electrolysis plant will be able to produce an average of 1,200 kilograms of green hydrogen per day. This is then compressed to 450 bar and filled into transport trailers at a filling station. The trailers then distribute the hydrogen to bus and truck refuelling stations in the Munich and Ebersberg districts, supplying Munich's regional bus services with green fuel for a total of ten hydrogen fuel cell buses. In the coming years, an increasing proportion of the green hydrogen will be produced using solar energy from photovoltaic systems in the immediate vicinity of the plant and, in the future, with additional wind power.

Alfons Weber, CEO of general contractor Kraftanlagen Energies & Services, explains how the plant works: "With the help of the alkaline electrolyser from the company Nel - the key component of the plant - hydrogen and oxygen are produced from electricity, or more precisely from direct current, by electrolysis. This process takes place in a virtually pressureless system and therefore ensures very safe and hazard-free operation of the plant".

"A new milestone in the Bavarian hydrogen strategy: the electrolyser in Pfeffenhausen in Lower Bavaria is the third in the whole of Bavaria - and a further step on our way to an energy revolution with the participation of the citizens. Bavaria is a pioneer in Germany in the expansion of renewable energies," said Bavarian Prime Minister Dr Markus Söder, who attended the event to honour the HyBayern HyPerformer Region project. He was joined by Minister of State Hubert Aiwanger, who had also travelled to Pfeffenhausen for the inauguration. "The commissioning of the 5 megawatt electrolyser is another important milestone in the energy revolution in Bavaria. The combination of hydrogen production, distribution and use at filling stations demonstrates the versatility of hydrogen as an energy source and the possibility of creating regional hydrogen cycles," said Aiwanger.

One day after the official inauguration of the electrolyser, local residents had the opportunity to take a closer look at the plant and learn more about the production and use of the green hydrogen produced in Pfeffenhausen.