Such developments will be carried out for AGR, which has been operating a waste-to-energy thermal plant in the town since 1982. Under the agreement, Linde will delivery proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysers, compressors, storage tanks and high-performance fuelling stations.
Each of the electrolysers delivered will have an annual capacity of approximately 440,000kg of hydrogen. Electricity required for the production of green hydrogen will come from AGR’s energy efficiency measures, while securing the feed of green electricity and environmentally friendly heat into the public grids.
Once fully operational, the station will be able to fill vehicles at both 350 bar and 700 bar. Such offerings will primarily be used to supply both public and private transportation vehicles, with a main focus on waste trucks serving surrounding communities and AGR’s own fleet.
“The collaboration is a good example of how Linde can support companies and municipalities with an integrated hydrogen offering,” says Michael Schäffer, Head of Hydrogen and Syngas Plants at Linde Engineering.
“This ambitious project includes superior solutions, such as electrolysis and refuellimng technologies, which fit well with AGR’s ambitions for an environmentally friendly circular economy. A decentralised hydrogen project like the one in Herten has the potential to serve as a model for other regions.”
Joachim Ronge, Chairman of AGR’s Management Board, added “For years we have been pursuing a strategy of high energy recovery in connection with disposal security and climate protection. After increasing district heat supply starting in 2019, we have been making further steps toward more climate protection by producing hydrogen together with other companies.”
“Thermal waste treatment offers excellent conditions to implement this technology to decarbonise logistics: Waste collection vehicles deliver waste with biogenic content, and the energy it contains is transformed into hydrogen. The waste collection vehicles are then refuelled with the resulting green hydrogen.”
The project will recieve funding of up to €6.2m from the German Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure in the framework of the National Innovation Program Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology (NIP). The funding guidelines are being coordinated by NOW GmbH and implemented by the company Project Management Jülich (PtJ).