Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection Robert Habeck visits IPCEI-funded projects: HGHH large-scale electrolyzer and HH-WIN hydrogen industrial network

Symbolic starting signal for the construction of Hamburg’s hydrogen infrastructure.

Hamburg, August 19th, 2024

Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection, Robert Habeck, was in Hamburg today to see firsthand how the hydrogen infrastructure is progressing. During the visit to the site of the former Moorburg power plant, he witnessed the ongoing dismantling and site preparation for the Hamburg Green Hydrogen Hub (HGHH) and the hydrogen grid connection. Minister Habeck was also given an insight into the construction work that has begun on the Hamburg Hydrogen Industrial Network (HH-WIN), which will be initially 40 and later 60 kilometers long. Hamburger Energiewerke and its project partner, Luxcara, with their 100 MW electrolyzer for green hydrogen (HGHH) and Gasnetz Hamburg with the HH-WIN hydrogen network, are laying the foundations for a hydrogen economy in the industrial location, Hamburg.

In the presence of Hamburg’s Senator for Economic Affairs, Melanie Leonhard, and Hamburg’s Senator for the Environment, Jens Kerstan, Federal Minister, Robert Habeck handed over the IPCEI funding notice from the federal and state governments for the HGHH and HH-WIN projects at the future hydrogen site in Moorburg. Today, Federal Minister Habeck symbolically installed a hydrogen pipeline connecting the electrolyzer with the hydrogen distribution network, signifying the commencement of the interaction between the two projects. He also acknowledged the official start of construction of this hydrogen network with the first sections in Moorburger Straße and at Altenwerder Hauptdeich. Both hydrogen projects are scheduled to start operations in 2027 and thus contribute to the decarbonization of the Port of Hamburg and industry. It was only in mid-July that Federal Minister Habeck announced that the federal government and the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg would fund the two large-scale hydrogen projects with a total funding amount of over 250 million euros. Prior to this, the EU Commission gave the green light for the funding of the IPCEI projects* in mid-February, paving the way for national funding.

Dr. Robert Habeck, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection:
“The two Hamburg IPCEI projects stand as an example for the energy transition. By promoting hydrogen projects, which represent an important part of the value chain, we are making progress towards a climate-neutral and sustainable economy in Germany. The federal and state governments are working together with companies to create the conditions for climate-neutral growth. With the dismantling of the old coal-fired power plant and the establishment of a hydrogen economy, the Moorburg site will become a central point for the decarbonization of industry and the energy sector in Hamburg and Germany. With the core grid, an import strategy and domestic hydrogen production such as is being created here in the port region, the climate-neutral economy will become a reality.”

Dr. Melanie Leonhard, Senator for Economics and Innovation: “Hamburg’s port is Europe’s largest contiguous industrial location – here and in the entire metropolitan region, industry needs a reliable energy supply. Hydrogen will play an important role in this in the future, and in addition to being imported via the Port of Hamburg, this energy source will also be produced here locally in the future. The decarbonization of society requires a functioning industry, and industry requires a reliable energy supply –we are making an important start here!”

Jens Kerstan, Senator for Environment, Climate, Energy and Agriculture: “The hydrogen location Hamburg is taking shape. With the handover of the federal government’s funding notice to the projects of the companies HEnW, Luxcara and Gasnetz Hamburg, we can realize the electrolyser, initially designed for 100 MW, on the site of the former Moorburg power plant and the hydrogen industrial network (HH-WIN). The dismantling of the power plant is already in full swing and construction of the electrolyzer is scheduled to begin in 2025. Gasnetz Hamburg will now start building larger sections of pipeline between Waltershof and Altenwerder west of the A7 highway in order to supply the majority of industrial companies south of the Elbe with a hydrogen network. Both major projects will significantly advance the decarbonization of energy-intensive industry and help us achieve our climate targets. Hamburg will become an important hydrogen center in Germany and Europe, as we have an integrated approach across all stages of the value chain: Hydrogen production, import structures, a hydrogen pipeline network and significant customers in industry.”

Michael Dammann, Managing Director of Gasnetz Hamburg: “The political support for our most important innovation project is an important driver and motivation for us. We are now starting – after laying a first section at Moorburger Bogen – with the construction of a tunnel crossing under the Altenwerder main dyke and the port railroad as well as the laying of hydrogen pipelines on Moorburger Straße. We are proud to be making a significant contribution to climate protection in Hamburg as an industrial location with the HH-WIN hydrogen network from as early as 2027 and are pleased that both the large-scale electrolyzer feeding into the grid and a number of our hydrogen customers’ projects are already making rapid progress. We are convinced that Hamburg’s hydrogen economy will be up and running in 2027.”

Christian Heine, spokesperson for the Management Board of Hamburger Energiewerke: “The conversion of the Moorburg power plant site is making great strides forward. By next year, we will have created enough space for the construction of the large-scale electrolyzer and the hydrogen grid connection to start. The two hydrogen projects are a good example of how Hamburg companies can support industry and the port on their path to climate neutrality by supplying green hydrogen, given the right political framework and financial support.”

Dr. Alexandra von Bernstorff, Managing Partner at Luxcara: “We are convinced that the energy transition must be implemented quickly and that this requires a holistic approach. The HGHH project will make a decisive contribution to the development of the hydrogen economy in northern Germany. We are pleased that the BMWK and the City of Hamburg have recognized this potential and are supporting our project. Together with Hamburger Energiewerke, we will now begin implementation right away.”

Hydrogen network HH-WIN now under construction

Gasnetz Hamburg has now started construction of the first major pipeline sections between Waltershof and Altenwerder west of the A7 highway. Specifically, a tunnel with a diameter of around 1.4 meters will cross the port railroad and the Altenwerder main dyke – a construction project with virtually no traffic restrictions. Gasnetz Hamburg is also already working on the hydrogen pipeline along Moorburger Straße. Further construction phases include the connection of the Hamburg Green Hydrogen Hub in Moorburg as well as industrial areas in Harburg, Altenwerder and Finkenwerder. A connecting pipeline to the hydrogen pipeline system near Leversen in Lower Saxony will enable Hamburg’s hydrogen industry to obtain green energy from other regions as well as feed ship imports and locally produced hydrogen into the European Hydrogen Backbone.

Hamburg Green Hydrogen Hub enters construction preparation and marketing phase

Since fall 2023, the HGHH consortium has been working at full speed to push ahead with the detailed planning. With the funding decision, the essential prerequisite is now in place to commission the large components and construction of the 100 MW electrolyzer this year. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2025. The production of green hydrogen is to be gradually ramped up at a later date in order to ensure stable operation of the hydrogen distribution network. The consortium is aiming for a portfolio of hydrogen consumers from various industrial sectors and is already in negotiations with many of these companies. Green hydrogen is to be supplied via the HH-WIN hydrogen distribution network and the planned truck loading station.

Status of dismantling at the former Moorburg power plant site

Since October 2023, the former Moorburg coal-fired power plant has been dismantled to make room for the 100 MW electrolyzer and the connection to the hydrogen grid. The dismantling of the gypsum circular storage facility and the associated ancillary buildings, including the foundations, as well as the above-ground dismantling of the two absorber tanks have already been largely completed. The ash silos and the induced draught buildings on the power plant site are currently being dismantled. The coal storage facilities will follow. The resulting construction waste will be processed on site using a mobile crushing plant and later partially reinstalled on the site in order to achieve the highest possible recycling rate. The aim is to conserve natural resources and avoid additional transportation as far as possible. In the second phase, it is planned to dismantle the machine house, the boiler houses and the hybrid cooling tower. Parts of the existing infrastructure and facilities can continue to be used for the electrolyser in future. For example, the water treatment facilities and the workshop and storage building will be retained. The existing connection to the extra-high voltage grid, which will supply the electrolyser with electricity from renewable energies in future, will be converted and relocated. Hamburger Energiewerke acquired the Moorburg power plant in March 2023 and its subsidiary Energie Hub Moorburg GmbH will be responsible for dismantling it.

* The HGHH and HH-WIN projects are among the 23 projects of the third so-called Hy2Infra wave of the IPCEI Hydrogen (Important Projects of Common European Interest), which was approved by the EU Commission on February 15, 2024.

TV footage and photos of the dismantling at the Moorburg site are available here: https://publicarea.admiralcloud.com/p/2trVNy7o7icUoYY4zorR5b Photo credit: Hamburger Energiewerke

TV footage of the hydrogen grid expansion is available here: https://publicarea.admiralcloud.com/p/nTDMHGBMga4A8TzF3aLJ6i Photo credit: Gasnetz Hamburg

About Luxcara

Luxcara is an independent asset manager offering equity and debt investment opportunities to international investors in the global clean energy infrastructure. The Hamburg-based company acquires, structures, finances and operates clean infrastructure projects with a long-term, buy-build-operate approach for the clean energy transition. Luxcara’s longstanding focus on unsubsidized markets has made the company one of Europe’s most prominent investors in projects with long-term power purchase agreements.

The company’s portfolio includes clean energy infrastructure across Europe. Their track record, dating back to 2009, makes Luxcara one of the continent’s most experienced asset managers for clean energy investments.

Follow us at www.luxcara.com or on www.linkedin.com/company/luxcara/.

About Hamburger Energiewerke

Hamburger Energiewerke GmbH is a 100 percent municipal energy supplier. The company supplies more than 160,000 customers in Hamburg with green electricity and gas. Hamburger Energiewerke also operates one of the largest district heating networks in Germany, supplying over 525,000 residential units with city heat for heating and hot water. Over 1,000 employees at the municipal energy supplier are committed to the success of the energy and heating transition. By 2030 at the latest, heat generation from hard coal will be completely replaced and the heat supply will be climate-neutral by 2045. At the same time, the portfolio of renewable energy plants will be expanded. Hamburger Energiewerke is making the largest single contribution to achieving Hamburg's climate targets.

About Gasnetz Hamburg

Gasnetz Hamburg GmbH is 100% city-owned and operates the natural gas network in the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, with approximately 7,900 kilometers of network, around 160,000 house connections, and almost 230,000 customers. The network includes high, medium, and low-pressure lines, house connection lines, and approximately 600 gas pressure regulating stations. The network is controlled and monitored via a central control center.

Media contact:

Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Klimaschutz (BMWK)
Susanne Ungrad, Susanne.Ungrad@bmwk.bund.de, Telefon +49 30 18-615-6133

Behörde für Wirtschaft und Innovation (BWI)
Press department, pressestelle@bwi.hamburg.de, Telefon: +49 40 42841 2239

Behörde für Umwelt, Klima, Energie und Agrarwirtschaft (BUKEA)
Press department. pressestelle@bukea.hamburg.de, Telefon: +49 40 42840 8006

Hamburger Energiewerke
Friederike Grönemeyer, Hamburger Energiewerke GmbH, Unternehmenskommunikation
Friederike.groenemeyer@hamburger-energiewerke.de, Telefon +49 40 6396 2732

Luxcara
Lars Haugwitz, GFD - Gesellschaft für Finanzkommunikation mbH,
haugwitz@gfd-finanzkommunikation.de, Telefon +49 69 97 12 47 34

Gasnetz Hamburg
Bernd Eilitz, Gasnetz Hamburg GmbH, presse@gasnetz-hamburg.de, Telefon: +49 40 2366 3507