Shell consortium plans bulk hydrogen production project

A consortium of Shell Deutschland Oil and Shell Energy Europe with partners ITM Power, SINTEF, thinkstep and Element Energy plans a project to install a large scale electrolyser to produce hydrogen at the Wesseling refinery site within the Rheinland Refinery Complex. With a capacity of ten megawatts, this would be the largest unit of its kind in Germany and the world’s largest PEM (Polymer Electrolyte Membrane) electrolyser.
September 4, 2017 Read time: 2 mins

A consortium of Shell Deutschland Oil and Shell Energy Europe with partners ITM Power, SINTEF, thinkstep and Element Energy plans a project to install a large scale electrolyser to produce hydrogen at the Wesseling refinery site within the Rheinland Refinery Complex.

With a capacity of ten megawatts, this would be the largest unit of its kind in Germany and the world’s largest PEM (Polymer Electrolyte Membrane) electrolyser. This electrolyser technology is also suitable to improve the stability of the electricity grid with a growing share of intermittent renewable energy sources, such as from solar and wind.

The consortium has been invited to the preparation of a grant agreement by the European Fuel Cells and Hydrogen 2 Joint Undertaking (FCH 2 JU), following a competitive call for proposals.

Today, the refinery uses approximately 180,000 tons of hydrogen per year in its various plants. The hydrogen is currently produced as a by-product of the refining process or through natural gas reforming, while electrolysis uses electricity to split water into the base components of hydrogen and oxygen.

The project aims to enable the construction and operation of a large scale10 MW electrolyser that can produce high quality hydrogen and CO2 free hydrogen while demonstrating technology and cost improvements through up-scaling and new business applications. Electrolysis using low-cost renewable electricity could be a key technology for a potential CO2 free hydrogen production in the Shell Rheinland Refinery.

Related Content

  • September 22, 2015
    Launch of UK wind hydrogen refuelling station
    Energy storage and clean fuel company ITM Power has launched its first public access hydrogen refuelling station at the Advanced Manufacturing Park, just off the M1, Junction 33 in South Yorkshire, funded by InnovateUK. The site, which as a public access refuelling station is the first of its kind in the UK, consists of a 225kW wind turbine coupled directly to an electrolyser, 220kg of hydrogen storage, a hydrogen dispensing unit and a 30kW fuel cell system capable of providing backup power generation fo
    Read More
  • October 14, 2021
    Shell introduces fuel cell truck
    Shell, MaierKorduletsch and Paul Nutzfahrzeuge are introducing a medium-duty fuel cell truck to activate the market for hydrogen used as a fuel in the medium to heavy duty road transport sector
    Read More
  • April 23, 2012
    Russian researchers to unveil revolutionary fuel cell project
    A state-of-the-art joint project spearheaded by the Tomsk Polytechnic Research University and Icelandic professor, Horsteinn I. Sigfusson, who was awarded the Global Energy International prize in 2007, will be showcased at Russia Day as part of the international exhibition Hannover Messe-2012, which is to be held from 23 to 27 of May, 2012 in Germany.
    Read More
  • February 26, 2019
    Air Liquide and partners to increase hydrogen fuel cell taxis in France
    Air Liquide has entered into a joint venture called HysetCo to boost the number of hydrogen fuel cell taxis in the Île-de-France region to 600 by 2020. The company says HysetCo will make it easier to roll out hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and their recharging infrastructure. It will also aim to cut emissions for taxis and chauffeur car providers to zero by the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. HysetCo members include energy and environment services company Idex, hydrogen taxi firm Société du Taxi Électrique Parisi
    Read More

Highlighted Content