bp Unveils Plans to Expand Germany's Green Energy Port with a New Hydrogen Hub
bp PLC
BP has announced plans to evaluate the feasibility of building a new hydrogen hub in Wilhelmshaven, Germany. The project would include an industry-leading ammonia cracker, which would be capable of producing up to 130,000 tons of low-carbon hydrogen from green ammonia per year, starting in 2028.
Green ammonia is a type of hydrogen that is made by mixing nitrogen with hydrogen that comes from the electrolysis of water using renewable energy sources. It is expected to be shipped from BP green hydrogen projects around the world to Wilhelmshaven, where it will be converted into green hydrogen by a cracker.
This process involves splitting the larger ammonia molecule into its smaller nitrogen and hydrogen components, which can be used directly as fuel. The Wilhelmshaven site is expected to have the capacity to produce up to 130,000 tons of hydrogen per year, with the potential for further expansion as the market for future fuels develops.
Patrick Wendeler, chief executive of bp Europa SE, said: “At bp, we have the expertise and capacity to cover the entire value chain of green hydrogen production, including conversion into derivates like ammonia, transport, and then reconversion to supply green hydrogen to the customers and places who need it. This development would help create greater energy independence for our German customers across a range of low-carbon energy products. Wilhelmshaven has a proud energy history, and we hope this hydrogen hub can help carve out its next chapter and help Germany meet its energy transition goals.”
BP plans to use the existing infrastructure of the Nord-West Oelleitung (NWO) terminal at Wilhelmshaven to support energy transition activities. This includes utilising the terminal's deep-water harbour and pipeline system to transport low-carbon hydrogen to customers in the Ruhr region and other centres of demand. This strategy takes advantage of the existing oil and gas pipelines for use in hydrogen transport.
Felipe Arbelaez, senior vice president hydrogen and CCS at bp said: “The development of this import facility complements bp’s global hydrogen project portfolio, as we develop a presence in several potential hydrogen and ammonia export locations in the Middle East, Africa, and Australia, which could supply part of the European demand in the coming years. This is another critical step in developing and delivering low carbon hydrogen in communities throughout the world.”
Christian Meyer, Minister for the Environment, Lower Saxony, added: “To remain competitive and resilient as an industrial location in the long term, we must ensure an affordable, climate-neutral and secure energy supply. To do this, we must diversify our supply sources and create fewer dependencies. bp's proposed new hydrogen centre in Wilhelmshaven can play an important role in this. At the same time, it moves Germany's energy transition forward and makes Wilhelmshaven an even more important place to bring in green, renewable energy. We urgently need the new ‘Lower Saxony speed’ on the path to climate neutrality because we have no more time to lose protecting the climate."
Source: bp
