Axpo announced plans to build another green hydrogen facility at its run-of-river power plant in Brugg, Switzerland, the latest move in the company’s rapid growth of its green hydrogen sector.
Axpo has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with regional partners, reaffirming its plan to distribute climate-friendly hydrogen to regional filling stations. The initiative will contribute significantly to the decarbonisation of the Swiss mobility industry.
Green hydrogen, as one of the most climate-friendly energy sources, particularly for industry and transportation, will be critical in realizing Switzerland’s and the European Union’s decarbonisation strategies. Axpo is Switzerland’s largest producer and Europe’s largest trader of renewable energy in Europe, and it aspires to maintain a leadership position in this sector.
The Swiss firm is well-positioned to manufacture green hydrogen due to its hydropower projects. Axpo maintains excellent relationships with other major firms in the hydrogen sector on a global scale. For instance, its subsidiary Axpo Italia is collaborating with the service and consulting firm RINA and with ABB to establish a robust hydrogen supply chain and to deliver green hydrogen projects across a range of industrial sectors.
The projected green hydrogen production facility in Brugg Axpo has moved a step closer to reality. The plant is designed to have a maximum installed capacity of 15 MW and will electrolyze about 2,000 tonnes of green hydrogen per year. The electricity required for production is supplied by Axpo’s adjacent Wildegg-Brugg hydropower facility.
Through a pipeline, the hydrogen will be transferred to Axpo’s local partner, Voegtlin-Meyer, and also marketed to other filling stations in the region. The new source of energy will be capable of powering approximately 300 trucks and buses every year. Additionally, the project will contribute significantly to the reduction of CO2 emissions in the mobility sector. IBB Energie AG, the Brugg region’s local energy supplier, aims to use the plant’s waste heat to power a local heating network for industrial businesses.
Brugg’s people will have the last decision on land use at a public meeting in December 2021. If the decision is favorable, Axpo will file for a building permit. The facility is anticipated to be operational by the end of 2023.
