(20.09.2019)

Hydrogen Region LK Diepholz

 

Technically feasible: Storing surplus wind energy

More than 25 participants accepted an invitation from the district of Diepholz to the kick-off event “Hydrogen Region District of Diepholz” at the Mechatronics and Electrical Engineering Center (ZME) of the Private University of Applied Sciences – PHWT in Diepholz.

In his welcoming speech, District Administrator Cord Bockhop pointed out that hydrogen as an energy carrier has great potential for the energy transition in Germany and Lower Saxony.

“Many players are currently dealing with the topic. The state government has declared that it wants to make Lower Saxony the hub and center of the future hydrogen economy and is currently working on a hydrogen strategy. Due to the current importance and the good starting conditions in the region, the district of Diepholz has already submitted its expression of interest in the spring by submitting an application to the federal government for the “HyStarter” funding program in order to dedicate itself to the topic of hydrogen,” explained District Administrator Bockhop.

Prof. Dr. Richard Hanke-Rauschenbach, head of the chair in “Electrical Energy Storage Systems” at Leibnitz University Hannover, gave an overview of the role of hydrogen in the future energy system in his keynote speech. Via so-called “power-to-X technologies,” renewable energies could be stored in “green” hydrogen and reused in the electricity, heat or transport markets. “This is referred to as “sector coupling”, in that renewably produced electricity could also be used in other sectors. Accordingly, there would be great potential for hydrogen use in the defossilization of mobility,” explained Prof. Dr. Hanke-Rauschenbach.

As regional know-how carriers on the topics of renewable energies and hydrogen, Christian Meindertsma and Gerrit Bokelmann from WestWind Projektierungs GmbH & Co. KG from Kirchdorf spoke about the special hydrogen potential in the Diepholz district. By converting wind power into “green hydrogen”, surplus wind energy could be stored and used regionally as part of sector coupling to further reduce the use of fossil fuels.

The district has favorable factors, such as the largest gas storage facility in Western Europe, hydrogen-affine companies from industry and manufacturing, project developers of regenerative companies, and, as a knowledge carrier, the Private University of Applied Sciences for Business and Technology (PHWT) located in Diepholz.  The district of Diepholz is one of the leaders in Germany in the generation of renewable energies. According to the Internet portal energy-map, its degree of generation is 109%, while the national average: 26% and the Lower Saxony average: 45%. The district of Diepholz thus generates more electricity than it consumes.

In a working group phase, initial ideas and starting points were collected on the way to a hydrogen region in the district of Diepholz. The participants, who came from different industries, saw important starting points in the use of hydrogen, for example in the mobility sector such as bus transport, municipal vehicles or haulage companies. It was important to implement first concrete pilot projects in the district to make the topic tangible.

The first event was the prelude to the establishment of hydrogen as an alternative energy source in the district of Diepholz. Other interested actors from the district are to be included in the hydrogen region project.

There was great interest in a hydrogen-powered passenger car from a well-known manufacturer, about which special information was provided and which was available for a test drive.

Source: County of Diepholz

Photo: Diepholz district

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