Rostock (dpa/mv) – A German-Norwegian energy project wants to make Rostock a hub for the production of hydrogen from natural gas, so-called blue hydrogen. According to a statement by the German gas group VNG, the plan is to build and operate a gigawatt-scale plant in Rostock with an annual hydrogen production capacity of up to 230,000 tons. According to the information, this corresponds to 20 percent of the current hydrogen market in Germany.
Together with the Norwegian energy company Equinor, natural gas from Norway is to be brought to Rostock through existing pipelines and processed there. The “Ostsee-Zeitung” reported that the project could create more than 100 local jobs.
In the process sought by VNG and Equinor, natural gas is split into hydrogen and carbon dioxide. The two companies plan to pump the liquefied CO2 into the seabed in Norwegian waters. According to VNG, “a base load supply with large quantities of low-CO2 hydrogen is thus possible in order to bridge and supplement the increasing supply of hydrogen from renewable energies.” This hydrogen should initially primarily benefit industry in East Germany.
Economics Minister Reinhard Meyer (SPD) recently advocated more investment by the federal government in energy projects in eastern Germany. In doing so, he primarily promoted the port of Rostock as a location. The state government also sees a lot of potential in hydrogen production.
