Air Liquide and Siemens Energy have recently launched the "Trailblazer" project. It is a 20 MW proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysis plant for the production of renewable hydrogen and oxygen. "Trailblazer" is scheduled to begin operations in late 2023.
In late 2021, Air Liquide and Siemens Energy announced their hydrogen partnership. In addition to building a Giga Factory for electrolysers in Berlin (scheduled to start in November 2023), the two companies plan to work together on large-scale electrolyzer projects. "Trailblazer" is the first project of this partnership.
"Trailblazer" has a capacity of 20 MW and will produce up to 2,900 t of renewable hydrogen per year as well as renewable oxygen. Upgrading the electrolyzer to a capacity of 30 MW is possible.
Air Liquide is currently building the electrolyzer at OQ Chemicals Park in Oberhausen. It will be connected to Air Liquide's existing hydrogen infrastructure, which is more than 220 km long. The aim is to supply key industries such as steel, chemicals, and refineries as well as emission-free mobility along the Rhine and Ruhr rivers with renewable hydrogen.
Federal Ministers visit "Trailblazer"
"Trailblazer" is the first project funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action as part of Germany’s national hydrogen strategy.
Therefore, Federal Minister for Economics and Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck recently visited the "Trailblazer" project alongside Mona Neubaur, Minister for Economy, Industry, Climate Protection and Energy.
Additional Partnership between Air Liquide and Thyssenkrupp
Air Liquide is cooperating with Thyssenkrupp Steel on various decarbonization projects. Thyssenkrupp Steel plans to build a large direct reduction plant for hydrogen-based steelmaking at its Duisburg site. That plant was connected to Air Liquide's hydrogen infrastructure in late 2022. The company built a roughly 4 km long connection between an existing pipeline and its site. "Trailblazer" will provide sustainable hydrogen for Thyssenkrupp.
An important element of the "Trailblazer" project is to benefit from the experience gained with the electrolyzer, in terms of project implementation and engineering as well as plant operation. The knowledge gained will be useful in the further hydrogen ramp-up in Germany.
(Source: Air Liquide/2023)
