European energy major E.ON, which regards generating and storing hydrogen in the natural gas network as a “promising approach” to overcoming the problems associated with high levels of renewable energy in the electricity network, is developing a pilot plant in Germany that will show how wind energy could be used to generate hydrogen, which could then be pumped into the natural gas network and used like regular natural gas.
It is investing €5 million on the pilot plant and further research into the technology.
“We need new storage capacities so that we can further increase the share of weather-dependent wind power in our generation portfolio in coming years,” said professor Klaus-Dieter Maubach, member of the E.ON AG Board of Management responsible for Technology & Development. “Using the existing gas infrastructure to store hydrogen is a promising approach in the long run, enabling us to combine our strengths as a power and gas company.”
According to E.ON, up to five per cent hydrogen can be added to the natural gas grid without any problems, and in the medium term experts expect up to 15 per cent could be added. The firm’s pilot plant will produce about 360 m³ of hydrogen per hour from 2013 onwards using electrolysis.
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