Belgium-based clean energy company Tree Energy Solutions says it is accelerating its development of a hydrogen import project in northern Germany by at least two years and widening its scope to include LNG in response to Europe’s energy crisis.

Phase one of the terminal at the north German port of Wilhelmshaven is now expected to be operational by the winter of 2025 at a cost of €2.5bn ($2.76bn), according to an accelerated development timetable, TES says. The project ultimately envisages six independent storage tanks and six ship berths at a total cost of €25bn over ten years.

TES, which is backed by Belgian financial group Atlasinvest, has signalled it is open to participation in the project by other gas importers and that it will ensure third-party access in line with EU regulations.

“TES welcomes participation from other parties on the condition that it accelerates the project and does not jeopardise the long-term clean and green energy ambitions that are core to the TES DNA,” says Paul van Poecke, managing director of TES.

0.5mn t/yr – Initial hydrogen import volume

TES was founded by van Poecke, a former senior oil industry executive who was closely involved in the development of the Dragon LNG terminal at Milford Haven in the UK.

The move by TES comes after the German government called for the development of two LNG import terminals with potential to also handle hydrogen as a way to reduce the country’s 60pc dependence on Russian gas in response to the crisis triggered by the invasion of Ukraine.

Energy company Uniper already has plans to develop green ammonia import facilities at Wilhelmshaven, having last year shelved plans for an LNG terminal at the port.

Closed loop

TES plans to produce green hydrogen using solar, wind and hydropower in regions including the Middle East. It will convert the hydrogen into synthetic methane using CO₂ to produce an energy carrier that can be shipped by tanker to Wilhelmshaven. At the German port it will be converted back into hydrogen, with the resulting CO₂ captured and shipped back to the original hydrogen producer country in a ‘closed loop’, which guarantees the CO₂ never leaves the cycle.

The project would import 25TWh/yr of synthetic methane in its initial phase, yielding more than 0.5mn t hydrogen at Wilhelmshaven. This will rise to more than 5mn t in the project’s final stage, corresponding to a tenth of Germany’s annual primary energy demand, according to TES.

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Author: Stuart Penson