The German government has selected a consortium comprising German utility Eon, France’s Engie and Belgian-based Tree Energy Solutions (TES) to develop and manage a floating storage and regasification (FSRU) terminal that will be able to import hydrogen as well as LNG.

The vessel will be moored at Wilhelmshaven, where TES already owns land and is building its Green Energy Hub, in partnership with Eon.

The addition of the FSRU will accelerate the green hydrogen project, and the hub is intended to start “large-scale [hydrogen] imports by 2025”, the statement says.

“TES aims to seamlessly integrate the import of green molecules within the first 12 months that the FSRU is in operation, in order to allow a fast and efficient green transition”, according to the consortium.

5bn m³/yr – FSRU’s import capacity

Berlin and the consortium expect the FSRU to start operations at “the beginning of the heating period in 2023”, according to a joint statement.

The floating terminal will have a capacity of 5bn m³/yr, or around 5pc of Germany’s annual consumption. Germany has already selected locations for four FSRUs. And there may be more announcements to come, as private developer Deutsche Regas is pursuing another terminal project in partnership with TotalEnergies.

Engie and TES will be responsible for the development and operation of the FSRU, while the French firm will lease the vessel from US firm Excelerate Energy for five years and source part of its supply.

Germany has initiated a €900mn ($1bn) H2Global support scheme designed to help secure EU green hydrogen imports to meet demand as it rises over the next decade.

Germany is expected to rely on imports for about half of its clean hydrogen needs, despite the buildout of domestic production.

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Author: Simon Ferrie