Tri Energy Solutions of Belgium has stated that it is speeding up plans to build a new “green gas” terminal in Wilhelmshaven, northwest Germany, by the winter of 2025 to import “carbon-neutral” green liquefied methane.
In order to offset the effects of the ongoing situation between Russia and Ukraine, the firm plans to import millions of tons of renewable hydrogen to Germany in the form of green methane, which is the least expensive approach.
The initiative is the first large-scale proposal to deploy synthesized methane as a green hydrogen transporter.
The project’s significance and role
The Wilhelmshaven project, which began construction in 2019 and is expected to be operational by 2027, is expected to play a bigger role in supplying energy to Germany, contributing to Europe’s energy policy in a sustainable way while also encouraging the regional economy’s physical expansion.
“The Wilhelmshaven project is unique in its capacity to implement Germany and Europe’s goals for sustainable decarbonization on an industrial scale while dealing with the present energy crisis cautiously and sensibly,” said Paul von Buick, the company’s general manager.
“With the objective of making German energy sources carbon-neutral, we wish to boldly drive the energy revolution ahead.”
“Tree Energy Solutions thinks that, given the contemporaneous climate catastrophe, the totally sustainable Wilhelmshaven project deserves at least the same – if not stronger – support than alternative conventional LNG terminal proposals,” he said.
Germany’s energy security
In a press statement, the business stated that the project’s acceleration will be entirely compatible with and supportive of the strategic targets of sustainability and diversification of energy sources, by allowing for the early processing of gas imports as well as green gas imports.
“Fast-tracking will enhance alternative energy security for Germany and Europe while also boosting the expansion of green gas imports over time,” according to the business.
The Green Energy Center will also import LNG in the short and medium-term to lessen Germany’s reliance on natural gas imported via pipelines from Russia.
Tree Energy Solutions expects that by 2045, the project will be able to supply Germany with more than 5 million tons of green hydrogen per year, which is around 10% of the country’s primary energy requirement.
Green methane initiative
Autothermal reforming, a process generally linked with blue hydrogen created from natural gas CCS, will be used to break down green methane, as it is termed because it is produced from electricity, into hydrogen and carbon dioxide.
Over 99 percent of the carbon dioxide emitted will be caught, liquefied, and sent back to the original manufacturing location for usage in the next batch of green methane, in the same vessel used to import the synthetic gas.
The business plans to power these ships using liquefied natural gas, carbon sequestration on board, and green methane made from carbon dioxide.
Hydrogen is a kind of energy that may be used to transform other forms of energy.
The most affordable green hydrogen
This may appear to be a difficult and costly arrangement, but the resulting green hydrogen, according to chief commercial officer Otto Waterlander, will be less expensive than any renewable hydrogen generated in Germany or any other hydrogen transported into the nation via various sources.
“We believe it is more cost-effective than other techniques,” Waterlander said, adding that the firm plans to make a final investment decision on the project by the end of the year, according to the Recharge platform.
He added that when compared to other hydrogen transport choices such as ammonia, methanol, compressed or liquefied hydrogen, methane contains more hydrogen by volume.
“We compared this method to various green hydrogen import options, and we believe we are on a road that is 30% more cost-effective than the ammonia pathway,” he added.
“We’re leveraging a major part of the current energy infrastructure,” he said, noting that green methane can utilize the same equipment as natural gas to liquefy and regasify the gas, as well as pipelines and ships.
When compared to the widespread usage of alternative hydrogen transporters, this will help save money.
