Linde Engineering has been awarded the official bid to develop and construct an advanced hydrogen fueling station and electrolysis plant for AGR in Herten, Germany.
The initiative, which includes hydrogen manufacturing and high-performance fueling technologies, will receive up to €6.2 million in funding from the German Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure as part of the National Innovation Program Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology (NIP). NOW coordinates the funding guidelines, which are carried out by the group Project Management Jülich (PtJ).
Proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzers, compressors, storage tanks, and high-performance fueling stations are all part of the project. Linde Engineering will also provide servicing and operation under the terms of the contract. The electrolyzers would have a capacity of approximately 440,000 kg of hydrogen per year.
The electricity will be generated by AGR’s waste-to-energy thermal power plant, which uses urban and commercial waste with a biogenic content of approximately 50% as the primary fuel source. The electricity needed for the production of green hydrogen will be generated by AGR’s energy conservation policies, which will also ensure the feed of green electricity and environmentally sustainable heat into public grids.
The proposed fueling station would be capable of filling vehicles at 350 and 700 bar, making it ideal for both cars and trucks. The green hydrogen generated in Herten would primarily power public and private transportation vehicles. The focus would be on waste trucks servicing the local cities, AGR’s own fleet, and hydrogen sales to commercial and industrial businesses.
The project is a good example of the circular economy in effect since it thermally recycles local waste and converts it into hydrogen. Green electricity produced by the waste-to-energy power plant will be used to produce green hydrogen to fuel waste trucks in the immediate future. Furthermore, the combined fueling station and electrolyzer hybrid acts as a demonstration of decentralized hydrogen processing and delivery.
“The collaboration is a good example of how Linde can support companies and municipalities with an integrated hydrogen offering. This ambitious project includes superior solutions, such as electrolysis and refueling technologies, which fit well with AGR’s ambitions for an environmentally friendly circular economy. A decentralized hydrogen project like the one in Herten has the potential to serve as a model for other regions.”
Michael Schäffer, head of hydrogen and syngas plants at Linde Engineering.
“For years we have been pursuing a strategy of high energy recovery in connection with disposal security and climate protection. After increasing district heat supply starting in 2019, we have been making further steps toward more climate protection by producing hydrogen together with other companies. Thermal waste treatment offers excellent conditions to implement this technology to decarbonize logistics: Waste collection vehicles deliver waste with biogenic content, and the energy it contains is transformed into hydrogen. The waste collection vehicles are then refueled with the resulting green hydrogen.”
Joachim Ronge, chairman of AGR’s management board.
