New Energy World™
New Energy World™ embraces the whole energy industry as it connects and converges to address the decarbonisation challenge. It covers progress being made across the industry, from the dynamics under way to reduce emissions in oil and gas, through improvements to the efficiency of energy conversion and use, to cutting-edge initiatives in renewable and low-carbon technologies.
Developments in Denmark and Germany suggest Power-to-X is moving beyond demonstration projects, with operational hydrogen production and certified synthetic fuels moving closer to commercial operation.
As one of Denmark’s earliest operational facilities begins hydrogen production, Germany’s ERA ONE plant has become the first Power-to-Liquid facility to achieve ISCC EU certification for its synthetic fuels.
Power-to-X technologies use renewable electricity, including surplus generation that might otherwise be curtailed, to produce hydrogen, synthetic fuels and other low-carbon energy products for sectors that are difficult to electrify.
In Denmark, European Energy has begun hydrogen production at its Måde Power-to-X facility following the commissioning of a 5MW Plug Power electrolyser, which complements an existing 3.1MW electrolyser at the site. The installation is expected to produce around 550 tonnes of renewable hydrogen each year.
Rather than operating as a conventional renewable energy project, Måde combines wind generation, battery storage, hydrogen production and district heating through a single integrated energy system. Surplus renewable electricity can either be stored in batteries or converted into hydrogen, while waste heat from electrolysis is supplied to the local district heating network.
Meanwhile, in Germany, Ineratec’s Era One facility has become the first Power-to-Liquid plant in the world to receive ISCC (International Sustainability and Carbon Certification) EU certification under the Renewable Energy Directive. The certification means synthetic fuels produced at the site are recognised as Renewable Fuels of Non-Biological Origin (RFNBOs), allowing them to count towards European Union targets in transport, aviation and industry.
ERA ONE, located at Industriepark Frankfurt-Höchst, produces up to 2,500 tonnes of synthetic fuels each year. According to INERATEC, the certification confirms the fuels are derived entirely from renewable, non-biological sources and achieve lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions at least 70% lower than conventional fossil fuels. The plant uses electricity from renewable sources to run an electrolyser to produce hydrogen and oxygen. The site process uses hydrogen and carbon dioxide to create synthetic fuels and other materials.
The certification comes as the European Union begins introducing RFNBO targets under the Renewable Energy Directive, reinforcing demand for renewable hydrogen and synthetic fuels in sectors including aviation, transport and industry.
René Alcaraz Frederiksen, Executive Vice President and Head of Power-to-X at European Energy, described the Måde facility as an important advance in bringing Power-to-X projects into operation. He said: ‘Projects like this demonstrate how PtX can be implemented in practice and support the continued development of Europe’s hydrogen market.’
Tim Böltken, Chief Executive and Co-Founder of Ineratec, said: ‘This milestone shows that regulation, certification and industrial production are finally starting to come together.’
