Onyx Power and bayernets signed a MoU for feed-in and -out of hydrogen at Zolling Energy Park
Zolling, 26 October 2021 – In the near future the State of Bavaria wants to make its energy supply climate-neutral. Hydrogen is a central building block for the sustainable decarbonisation of the energy sector in Southern Germany. By networking H2 producers and consumers, the development of a pipeline-based hydrogen infrastructure in Bavaria can begin soon. This development is to take place mainly by converting existing gas pipelines to hydrogen. Here is the possibility of connecting to a central hub of the future hydrogen network in Bavaria at Zolling.
Against this background, the energy producer Onyx Power and the transmission system operator bayernets GmbH have signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the feed-in and out of hydrogen. The declaration of intent is a prerequisite for consideration in the national network development plan for the construction of a Germany-wide hydrogen transport network. As early as 2026, climate-neutral district heating is to be produced at Zolling site from hydrogen in combination with green electricity from the biomass plant available at the site. In addition, the production of green hydrogen via an electrolyser is planned.
Lothar Schreiber, Onyx Power power plant manager Zolling: “Latest, from 2035, we want to produce climate-neutral heat and electricity at our site. The joint declaration of intent with bayernets is an important step in the further development of our energy park beyond the coal phase-out. We are looking forward to closer cooperation and contribution to the development of a nationwide hydrogen network in Germany with the Zolling energy park.”
On behalf of bayernets GmbH, Richard Unterseer, Division Manager Market & Strategy, signed the declaration of intent: “The hydrogen demand of the Zolling energy park proves the necessity of a supra-regional, pipeline-based transport infrastructure for hydrogen. This is the only way to connect the site with appropriate hydrogen sources.”
Development of a modern hydrogen transport infrastructure
The key points of the Memorandum of Understanding between Onyx Power and bayernets will be incorporated into the Gas Network Development Plan 2022-2032. For this purpose, the transmission system operators have carried out a market survey for production and demand of hydrogen as well as other green gases. The reported hydrogen quantities form the basis for the planning and development of a hydrogen transport network. The Zolling Energy Park and many other hydrogen projects in Bavaria show that the course must now be set for the development of a national and European hydrogen transport network.
Further development of the Zolling Energy Park
Onyx Power aims to achieve a climate-neutral electricity and heat supply at the Zolling site by 2035. With the construction and operation of a biomass power plant and a sewage sludge drying plant, important steps have already been taken towards a future-oriented energy supply. In order to ensure the heat supply in the Freising region even beyond the coal phase-out, Onyx Power is planning to build a thermal power plant with a capacity of 50 MW. The plant is scheduled for completion in 2024 and will initially run on conventional gas. From 2026, it is planned to gradually convert the plant to the use of hydrogen or green gases.