New Hydrogen Center: ENERTRAG and Sunfire Start Cooperation to Operate a 10 MW Pressurized Alkaline Electrolyzer
Prenzlau / Dauerthal / Dresden, September 9, 2021
Renewable energy company ENERTRAG and electrolysis company Sunfire are expanding their partnership. Both partners have signed a cooperation agreement for the realization of an electrolysis test field in Prenzlau (Germany).
The partners announced that they will install and operate a number of electrolyzer systems with a total capacity of up to 15 MW at ENERTRAG’s new hydrogen center in Prenzlau. In the scope of the cooperation, Sunfire will deliver a 10 MW pressurized alkaline electrolyzer of the new S+ generation. In addition, the first hydrogen filling station in the Uckermark region will be built at the Prenzlau facility, which will be supplied with green hydrogen produced on-site.
ENERTRAG will connect the hydrogen center through its own power line to the renewable power plant Uckermark, which has a production capacity of more than 600 MW. By using renewable electricity only, the installed electrolyzers can produce green hydrogen in the most climate friendly way possible. The project benefits from ENERTRAG’s 10 years of experience in producing green hydrogen through operating the hybrid power plant.
The green hydrogen is planned to be used for the mobility sector – for local public transport in particular. ENERTRAG will be responsible for the commercialization of the hydrogen produced, which can also be supplied to customers via trailers.
Delivering the 10 MW pressurized alkaline electrolyzer of the new generation S+ is an important step for Sunfire, strengthening its position as a global leading electrolysis company. Due to an increased power density, Sunfire’s new pressurized alkaline system is even more efficient than the previous generation, enabling green hydrogen production at lower cost.
"We look forward to cooperate with ENERTRAG not only as a strong partner for validating our technology, but also as an important new customer", underlines Sunfire CEO Nils Aldag. "The hydrogen center offers optimal conditions to validate our technological advancements due to the sufficient green electricity available. We have been able to prove our pressurized alkaline technology in numerous industrial projects worldwide over the past decades. Our new S+ generation will set entirely new standards."
In addition to the 10 MW pressurized alkaline electrolyzer, Sunfire is also installing further electrolysis systems in Prenzlau, covering different technologies from the company’s product portfolio. These include the innovative high-temperature electrolysis system based on the solid oxide electrolysis cell technology (SOEC). Running at temperatures of 850 °C, it is considered the most efficient electrolysis solution on the market.
"The cooperation agreement with Sunfire marks another milestone for our hydrogen center in Prenzlau", says Manuela Blaicher, Head of Power-to-X at ENERTRAG. "It is important for us to produce green hydrogen from regionally generated, renewable electricity, reducing the power grid load and storing surplus electricity in a smart way. We are particularly excited about the opportunity to gain more insights about new technologies that will be important for the continuing energy transition."
ENERTRAG and Sunfire are already cooperating in several other projects. Within "Concrete Chemicals", for example, the partners are working together with cement manufacturer CEMEX to reduce the cement industry’s carbon footprint using green hydrogen. The knowledge gained will be incorporated into future hydrogen projects.
