Germany’s 30 MW Bad Lauchstädt energy park has produced its first green hydrogen, marking the start of integrated testing across a value chain designed to connect renewable electricity generation with industrial demand.
The project aims to begin supplying the TotalEnergies refinery in Leuna in early 2027, with an expected annual delivery of approximately 3,000 tonnes.
The milestone moves the project beyond equipment installation toward testing the interaction between electricity generation, electrolysis, gas treatment and hydrogen transport. The remaining challenge is to demonstrate reliable operation across the entire system before commercial deliveries begin.
The electrolyzer, developed and operated by Elektrolyse Mitteldeutschland GmbH (EMG), a joint venture between Uniper and VNG Handel & Vertrieb, uses pressurized alkaline technology. It consists of three 10 MW modules, each containing two electrochemical stacks that split water into hydrogen and oxygen.
Construction began in June 2023. The first hydrogen production now allows the project partners to test the equipment under operating conditions and assess how production responds to electricity supplied by the connected wind farm.
The wind installation has approximately 50 MW of installed capacity, providing renewable electricity for the electrolyzer. However, installed generation capacity alone does not establish how much electricity will be available for hydrogen production throughout the year. Actual output will depend on wind conditions, electrolyzer availability and operating strategies.
A key element of the project is its 25-kilometer hydrogen pipeline, converted from an existing natural gas pipeline operated by ONTRAS Gastransport. The infrastructure connects the production site with the industrial demand center in Leuna, where hydrogen is intended for use at the TotalEnergies refinery.
Using existing gas infrastructure offers a way to reduce the need for entirely new pipeline construction, although conversion requires technical adjustments and testing to ensure safe hydrogen transport.
The current commissioning phase will assess the interaction between electrolysis, gas treatment and pipeline operations. Reliable coordination is essential because production interruptions, hydrogen quality requirements and transport constraints can affect the performance of the entire supply chain.
The project has an identified industrial customer, with approximately 3,000 tonnes of green hydrogen expected to be supplied annually from 2027. This provides an initial demand base for the facility, although the scale remains modest compared with the volumes required for broader industrial decarbonization.
Uniper contributes hydrogen project development and operational expertise, while VNG H&V is responsible for marketing the hydrogen and developing commercial sales structures.
The partners are targeting completion of commissioning for the integrated system in 2027. The project’s significance will depend on whether the full chain can operate consistently, from variable wind generation through electrolysis and pipeline transport to industrial consumption.
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