A new hydrogen infrastructure is being developed in Lingen. RWE and Westfalen Group have jointly started construction of a public hydrogen refueling station and a filling station. The facility will use green hydrogen from the 14 MW electrolysis plant and is scheduled to begin operations in mid-2025.
RWE and Westfalen Group have begun constructing a hydrogen refueling infrastructure in Lingen. The "H2 Filling Hub Lingen" includes a public hydrogen refueling station for commercial vehicles at the main gate of RWE's Emsland gas power plant (KEM) and a non-public filling station for tanker vehicles. The facility will be supplied with green hydrogen from RWE's 14 MW electrolysis plant in Lingen. This electrolysis plant is expected to start operating soon. The entire facility is scheduled to begin operations in mid-2025.
The public refueling station is aimed at operators of hydrogen-powered trucks, waste collection vehicles, buses, and cars. It can provide up to 500 kilograms of hydrogen daily. For comparison, a fuel cell truck consumes up to 10 kilograms of hydrogen per 100 kilometers.
At the filling station, companies with offtake contracts can collect hydrogen using tank trailers starting from the middle of next year. The entire facility processes over 2,500 kilograms of hydrogen per day. Interested parties can register for the first hydrogen tender via a web form.
Companies Collaborate on H2 Infrastructure
RWE will own the facility, while Westfalen Group will operate it. To further expand the hydrogen refueling station network in Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia, the partners have established a joint venture called "two4H2".
Dr. Sopna Sury, COO Hydrogen at RWE Generation SE, emphasizes the importance of the filling infrastructure for regional green hydrogen supply before establishing a distribution network. Dr. Thomas Perkmann, CEO of Westfalen Group, sees the project as a sign of the industry's readiness for the hydrogen ramp-up in Germany.
The Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV) is supporting the project with 6 million euros as part of the National Innovation Program for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology. Funding also comes from the German Recovery and Resilience Plan (DARP) through European programs. The total investment volume is around 18 million euros.
