Energinet, a Danish transmission system operator, and Danfoss, a Danish multinational company, are working together on a study to see if a facility that converts electricity to hydrogen can be used to help balance the power grid.

The two will investigate whether a 0.5MW green hydrogen electrolysis plant can be established at Danfoss’s factory in Nordborg while also allowing for the selling of balancing services.

They’ll also look into using the electrolysis plant’s waste heat for district heating.

They will collaborate closely in the shape of a week-long, high-intensity energy marathon, which will begin on May 17 and last for five days.

“On the one hand, we know that the vast majority of our electricity in the future will be generated when the wind blows and the sun shines,” said Energinet system responsibility senior manager Jesper Abildgaard Nielsen.

“On the other hand, we also know that hydrogen plants can become a very large and important part of the energy system of the future as power-to-X.

“The goal … is to create a viable path between an electricity system with very fluctuating production, and hydrogen plants that can run or not run when the electricity system needs to turn up or down.

“We want to create the flexibility that will be absolutely crucial for the green transition and future security of supply.”

Danfoss senior vice president of technology Jakob Fredsted said: “It’s about business opportunities for Danfoss, but it’s also about delivering the green solutions that really mean something to the world.

“It has not happened before that a hydrogen plant is connected to the electricity grid balance market, but as our founder, Mads Clausen, once said, if others can do it, so can we, and if others cannot, we still have a chance.”