Energy company BP has made the final investment decision for a 100 MW electrolyzer in Lingen. The project receives support through the IPCEI funding program from the EU, the federal government, and the state of Lower Saxony. Starting in 2027, the facility will produce up to 11,000 tons of green hydrogen annually for industry and refinery operations.
The facility will be built next to BP's refinery in Lingen from 2025 and will be directly connected to the hydrogen core network. The company announced this on Wednesday (December 18). Upon completion, the facility will be BP's largest green hydrogen production site to date and the first that the company operates "entirely independently."
With a planned annual production of up to 11,000 tons of green hydrogen, the project aims to decarbonize industrial processes in the region. The electrolyzer will source electricity from renewable sources - initially through a dedicated Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) for offshore wind energy.
The technical design of the facility will enable flexible supply to various customers: Besides use in BP's own refinery processes, the hydrogen will also be made available to regional industrial customers. The direct connection to the hydrogen core network can enable cost-effective and efficient distribution in the medium to long term. In August 2023, the company last provided comprehensive information about the project. At that time, they indicated a possible expansion of the electrolysis capacity to up to 500 MW.
IPCEI Funding Contributes to Project Realization
BP Europe CEO Patrick Wendeler sees the investment decision as an important signal for the ramp-up of the German hydrogen economy. In a press release, he emphasized the significance of the IPCEI funding approved in July by the federal government and the state of Lower Saxony. This has significantly contributed to the project's realization. Lingen Green Hydrogen is part of the Hy2Infra wave, an EU program to promote hydrogen infrastructure in Europe.
"This is another excellent example of how we can successfully drive forward a lower-emission hydrogen future through collaboration with governments," says Felipe Arbelaez, Senior Vice President for Hydrogen and CCS at BP. Projects like Lingen Green Hydrogen could create value for the region as well as BP's partners and customers.
The investment is part of BP's global hydrogen and CCS strategy. It envisions five to ten major projects this decade. Additionally, the project is part of the cross-state major initiative GET H2, involving numerous industrial companies and network operators.
