July 16, 2024 [Chem Analyst]- BP has been awarded funding, jointly provided by BMWK and the Lower Saxony Government, as part of the European IPCEI Hy2Infra wave, for a green hydrogen project in Germany.
The funding will support the development of a 100MW green hydrogen project adjacent to BP’s Lingen Refinery. German Federal Minister of Economics, Robert Habeck, presented the official grant letter on behalf of the German government and the state of Lower Saxony at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) in Berlin.
Robert Habeck, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection, stated: “The energy transition remains one of our country’s greatest challenges, even amidst ongoing crises and conflicts. By funding hydrogen projects, we are making a significant step towards a climate-neutral and sustainable economy in Europe and beyond. We are initiating the construction of electrolysers in the three-digit megawatt range, thus advancing the domestic production of green hydrogen. A robust hydrogen infrastructure is crucial for the decarbonization of industry and the energy sector. Hydrogen pipelines will become the lifelines of industrial centers, creating the conditions for climate-neutral growth.”
Olaf Lies, Lower Saxony Minister for Economic Affairs, Transport, Building, and Digitization, stated: “Developing a hydrogen economy is a crucial element for the energy transition in Germany and Europe. We aim to establish the central hub of this hydrogen economy in Lower Saxony, as it will generate secure, future-proof jobs. BP’s Lingen green hydrogen project will be a significant milestone in green hydrogen production.”
Felipe Arbelaez, Senior Vice President of Hydrogen and Carbon Capture & Storage, remarked: “Hydrogen is an emerging market with the potential to significantly impact the energy transition and industrial decarbonization. Government support is crucial for realizing this potential, and we are proud to advance this project as part of the European IPCEI program.”
Patrick Wendeler, Head of Country BP Germany, added: “This announcement highlights BP’s dedication to Germany as we advance our ‘and, not or’ strategy. Our Lingen refinery has supplied energy to German industry for over 70 years. Decarbonizing German industry is a significant challenge, and we are thankful to the German government for supporting us. Alongside other green hydrogen projects from the IPCEI Hy2Infra wave, we are proud to contribute to this effort. With this funding, we are one step closer to advancing our green hydrogen project in Lingen, enabling us to provide low-carbon hydrogen to industrial customers and our Lingen refinery in the future.”
The green hydrogen from this project has the potential to assist industrial customers, such as steel and chemical producers, in decarbonizing their production processes in the region, including at BP’s Lingen refinery.
