Unique lighthouse project: Bad Lauchstädt Energy Park paves the way for Green Hydrogen
The energy park facilities cover the entire green hydrogen value chain and combine research, production, storage, transport, marketing and use.
The energy transition requires innovative alternatives to fossil resources. Time and again, green hydrogen has proven to be an important element in decarbonization. However, in order to make the best possible use of hydrogen, more research is required in order to provide important insights into the future and the expansion of green energy.
Uniper is working hard to advance its decarbonization strategy. The Bad Lauchstädt energy park is an important part of these efforts. As a large-scale living laboratory, a total of seven companies are working closely together to map and examine the entire value chain of green hydrogen. Xenia Papst is leading the for Uniper's work area. She has a degree in economics and brings with her 15 years of experience in the energy industry. Since October 2023, she has been a member of Uniper's Business Development team for Germany. She is the point of contact for our consortium partners.
On April 1, 2024, Xenia took over one of four management positions at Elektrolyse Mitteldeutschland GmbH, a joint venture between Uniper Hydrogen GmbH and VNG Handel & Vertrieb GmbH, which is responsible for the electrolysis value chain. "The company is a joint venture between Uniper Hydrogen GmbH and VNG Handel & Vertrieb GmbH," explains Xenia.
Pioneering Work for the Energy Transition
"The whole team has done great pioneering work on this project. The results of this unique work are groundbreaking for decarbonization. The energy park is a flagship project for Uniper," she says and explains why.
"What is special about it is that the energy park encompasses the entire value chain — from the generation of green electricity to delivering this electricity to the customer. This makes the project unique, but also complex." The entire value chain of green hydrogen is being tested on an industrial scale for the first time at the Bad Lauchstädt living laboratory. The project therefore covers not only production, but also the storage, transport, marketing and use of green hydrogen.
"At the heart of the project is a 30-megawatt electrolysis plant where we produce green hydrogen. But for green hydrogen, we also need green electricity." This electricity comes from a nearby wind farm, which was built especially for the living laboratory.
The hydrogen will later be temporarily stored in a former natural gas cavern before being transported to the customer via a converted gas pipeline. The storage and the necessary drying and purification of the hydrogen will be tested by DBI, the Gas Technology Institute. "The first locally produced green hydrogen will then be delivered to our anchor customer, the TotalEnergies refinery in Leuna, in the second half of 2025," explains Xenia.
Optimal Conditions in Bad Lauchstädt
"At first, you might think 30 megawatts is small, but it's just the right system for scaling capacity and increasing performance further. The plant is not too large and not so small that its results can't be scaled up for larger systems. It is just the right size to draw the best conclusions." Another advantage that the green hydrogen in Bad Lauchstädt demonstrates is how we can use existing infrastructure. "By using existing infrastructure, a manageable investment is needed to transport the hydrogen." It also solves the problem of not being able to store power. Green hydrogen is particularly important for the energy transition, as it can compensate for weather-related fluctuations in renewable energy sources such as wind or solar and, by covering peak loads, can provide efficient sector coupling and solve the problem of electricity not being able to be stored.
"Our living laboratory plays an important role in driving the energy transition and decarbonizing industry in central Germany. Because we can cover the entire value chain, we can build up an incredible amount of expertise for the future," says Xenia, referring to the holistic view of the project.
The Journey of Green Hydrogen
In September 2021, the official handover of the funding decision by the then BMWi (now BMWK) marked the start of the Bad Lauchstädt living laboratory project. After all the necessary plans had been completed and approvals had been received, the team concluded the first phase with a favorable final investment decision (FID) from the consortium partners. "The preparations also included events for local residents. We informed the people on the ground about our plans and answered any questions they had."
In May 2023, the energy park's consortium partners set the key processes in motion by providing the final investment decision. The first groundbreaking ceremony heralded the beginning of construction. "In March of this year we held the topping out ceremony", says Xenia enthusiastically. Now the electrolysis stacks are being delivered and assembled just in time. Uniper's Execution Team also takes care of this with the service providers on site.
Strong Partners Share a Common Goal
"The wind farm is already in operation and has already supplied green electricity. It will be completed around halfway through the year." The plans for converting the transport line are already being implemented and are expected to be completed by the end of the year. ONTRAS Gastransport GmbH is constructing a 25-km pipeline in Bad Lauchstädt. All of the partners for this project are experts in their field — for example, ONTRAS operates the second longest gas network in Germany, measuring over 7500 km.
The Bad Lauchstädt energy park combines the expertise of numerous partners. For example, Terrawatt Planungsgesellschaft mbH is responsible for the wind farm and has over 25 years of experience. VNG AG heads up the consortium. They originally had the idea for the project and set the ball rolling. VNG Gasspeicher GmbH (VGS) also provides 50 years of experience and a lot of expertise.
The research and surveys from the living laboratory are being overseen by DBI — Gastechnologisches Institut gGmbH Freiberg, the research institute of the DVGW (Deutsche Vereinigung des Gas- und Wasserfaches e.V. — German Technical and Scientific Association for Gas and Water). “All of the partners are working hard to implement the project. The entire project is characterized by communication and cooperation. We all have a common goal. That's why the work is so much fun.”
First Contracts Set New Milestones
"The whole chain can't work without customers," Xenia explains. That's why the first contracts were also important milestones for the project team. The first key customer for the green hydrogen is TotalEnergies Raffinerie Mitteldeutschland. Another important milestone was the signing of the capacity agreement between Elektrolyse Mitteldeutschland GmbH (EMG) and ONTRAS Gastransport GmbH. It is a key part of the network of contracts that complete the green hydrogen value chain. "It was the first time that such a capacity agreement had been concluded in Germany," recalls Xenia. "Of course, everyone worked hard toward that."
The Future of the Energy Park
"In mid-2025, the construction of the electrolysis plant will be completed and then research projects will begin," reports Xenia. "In parallel, work is being carried out on gas purification in order to research the storage of hydrogen in the cavern and to be able to guarantee the degree of purity required by industrial customers." Commercial commissioning is planned for the end of 2025. "Green hydrogen will then start being supplied to our customers for the first time."
The combination of research and commercial implementation makes the energy park an exceptional concept. That is why Bad Lauchstädt is not just a showcase project, but also a blueprint for future projects. "There are already more projects in the pipeline," Xenia reveals.
Here you can find further information about the Bad Lauchstädt Energy Park.