RWE launches renewable power-to-gas plant in Germany

RWE AG (ETR:RWE) officially put online Monday a power-to-gas plant in North Rhine-Westphalia with a rated power output of 150 kW that will be producing hydrogen under 14-bar pressure.

The German energy group built the facility at Ibbenbueren as part of a new system linking together the supply of electricity, natural gas and district heating. UK alternative energy firm ITM Power plc (LON:ITM) supplied the electrolyser, the size of a shipping container, for the site.

The power-to-gas plant turns unused renewable power into hydrogen, which is then injected into the natural gas network. When needed, the gas will be used at a co-generation plant within the RWE district heating network in Ibbenbueren to generate power.

“The benefit of this form of electricity storage is the enormous infrastructure already offered by the natural gas network – which has huge storage capacity and a high-performing network,” commented Joachim Schneider, chief technology officer (CTO) of RWE Deutschland. He pointed out that with a utilisation rate of 86% the power-to-gas plant in Ibbenbueren is the most efficient of its kind in Germany.

Choose your newsletter by Renewables Now. Join for free!