With yesterday’s groundbreaking ceremony for the new hydrogen facility in Wensickendorf (Oberhavel district, Brandenburg), ENERTRAG, together with partners from politics, business and science, has sent an important signal for the future of energy and mobility in the Berlin-Brandenburg metropolitan region. The project is part of the ‘Heidekrautbahn hydrogen rail’ joint project, which is unique in Germany. It is funded by the Federal Ministry of Transport (BMV) with total funding of around €25 million as part of the National Innovation Programme Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology (NIP), coordinated by NOW GmbH and implemented by Project Management Jülich (PtJ).
Dagmar Fehler, CEO and spokesperson for NOW GmbH: “The ‘Hydrogen Rail Heidekrautbahn’ joint project illustrates the strength that lies in cooperation between industry, science and politics. With green hydrogen, we are laying the foundation for climate-friendly mobility here in Wensickendorf – directly on site and with regional added value. NOW GmbH is supporting this process as a partner of the German government and ensuring that such flagship projects can set a precedent nationwide.”
With the start of construction in Wensickendorf, ENERTRAG is paving the way for the regional production of green hydrogen from wind and solar energy – directly at the site. The facility has a capacity of 4 MW and will produce up to 380 tonnes of green hydrogen annually from 2026 onwards. A significant portion – around 230 tonnes per year – will be reserved for supplying the Heidekrautbahn (RB27) railway line between Barnim and Berlin. The hydrogen facility will therefore provide an environmentally friendly alternative to fossil fuels and promote climate-friendly mobility in the region.
Working closely with Niederbarnimer Eisenbahn (NEB), Kreiswerke Barnim, Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg (BTU) and the German Aerospace Centre (DLR), a 100% regional, climate-friendly value chain for green hydrogen in the transport sector is being created. The regional supply of clean hydrogen to the Heidekrautbahn is an important building block for CO₂-free, quiet rail transport and at the same time offers prospects for future applications in passenger and commercial transport in the region.
About NOW GmbH
Since 2008, NOW GmbH has been supporting the federal government’s targets in its climate and industrial policy. The tasks of the federally-owned company include developing, monitoring and evaluating funding programmes about climate-neutral mobility and energy supply. NOW GmbH experts supervise projects in the areas of hydrogen, fuel cells, battery and renewable fuels. They reimagine mobility and fuels for cars, buses, trains, commercial vehicles, ships and airplanes, and support the establishment and further development of charging infrastructure and hydrogen refuelling stations for cars and trucks. More information on NOW can be found here.
Image (from left to right): Enrico Wießner (Head of Department, City of Oranienburg), Dr Anne Bendzulla (Member of the Executive Board, Generation Division, ENERTRAG), David Schenker (Technical Project Lead PtX ENERTRAG), Alexander Gehling (Programme Manager Hydrogen & Fuel Cells NOW GmbH) | Image credit: ENERTRAG SE
Source: www.enertrag.com
