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LHyVE – Leipzig Hydrogen Value Chain for Europe

Dec 15, 2021 11:57:46 AM

The joint project LHyVE (Leipzig Hydrogen Value chain for Europe) aims to establish an intelligent and regionally networked green hydrogen system as a lighthouse for efficient sector coupling and to integrate it into the emerging European hydrogen infrastructure. With LHyVE, the entire value chain from production, storage, transport and distribution to final consumption is to be realized in the Leipzig region. SpinLab partner Leipziger Gruppe, ONTRAS and EDL Anlagenbau with many more players such as VNG (also SpinLab partner), Siemens Energy, BMW Group Werk Leipzig, Fraunhofer are involved in this project.

LHYVE Smart Infrastructure Blog 2021Photo credits: LHyVE

Hydrogen in use in public transport

By building an intelligently networked, municipal, green hydrogen system, Leipziger Gruppe is laying the foundation for decarbonization in the areas of logistics, mobility, industry (chemicals, automotive) and energy supply (electricity, heat) in the region. In addition, the development of an electrolysis of hydrogen filling stations as well as the use of hydrogen buses and hydrogen trains is planned. Further application potentials are being developed in the special and commercial vehicle sector, e.g. at the Leipzig street cleaning and fire department.

By 2026, the first green kerosene could be ready for use

Dr. Michael Heid -CEO of EDL Anlagenbau said, "The aviation industry is an economic sector whose decarbonization is particularly difficult. We are planning to build and operate the world's first industrial plant for the production of renewable synthetic aviation fuel (SAF kerosene) and hydrogen." Only green feedstocks are used to produce the sustainable aviation fuel: renewable electrical energy, biomethane and water.

ONTRAS Gastransport GmbH's project will create an 70 kilometer hydrogen ring around and for the Leipzig region. This connects producers and users of the LHyVE project and can be used to connect other hydrogen projects with ONTRAS involvement in central Germany, such as Green Octopus Mitteldeutschland or the Bad Lauchstädt Energy Park into the European hydrogen infrastructure.

The project partners will generate CO2-free energy and want to completely eliminate the use of fossil fuels in the future. With a cross-sectoral link between electricity, heat and mobility, digital solutions will be used optimally to exploit the effects of green hydrogen. The connection to the European H₂ infrastructure creates supply security and enables the transport of hydrogen from and to the region. As a result, greenhouse gas emissions in Leipzig and the region will be significantly reduced.

Central Germany pioneers green hydrogen

As a historically grown energy and industrial location, Central Germany is one of only two regions in Germany that already has a hydrogen infrastructure and expertise. By further expanding and sharing the existing hydrogen infrastructure, there are numerous opportunities for the widespread and cost-efficient use of hydrogen. The chemical industry offers an enormous locational advantage for cost-optimized sector coupling and the expansion of the hydrogen economy to areas such as mobility or power and heat generation. The strong mobility sector also has a positive effect due to the transit location at a logistical hub that is important far beyond Germany.

The Leipzig/Halle metropolitan region is characterized by a high density of different actors related to the hydrogen industry. In addition to educational institutions such as universities as well as research facilities such as Fraunhofer institutes, the metropolitan area is also home to numerous companies from the chemical industry and the energy sector.

First Central German Hydrogen Atlas

The European Metropolitan Region of Central Germany and the hydrogen network HYPOS e.V. published the Central German Hydrogen Atlas this month. The print and online publication presents more than 70 projects including the LHyVE project and players from Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia. For the first time, the atlas provides a comprehensive overview of the Central German hydrogen sector.

Topics: energy smart city
Linh Pham

Written by Linh Pham

Linh holds a master's degree in media and communications. In the past years, she has worked as an employee and freelancer in different editorial offices. Since 2020 she is part of the SpinLab team and is now responsible for public relations.

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