Phasing out coal – stepping into a climate-friendly hydrogen future
The end of coal-fired power generation is opening the door to an economically viable entry into the hydrogen economy. The old energy world is giving the new one a boost – a story only the Ruhr region could write. And it could come true at the Stadthafen Gelsenkirchen.
The starting point: the decommissioning of the Herne 4 power plant at the end of 2022. This freed up a significant volume of hydrogen-rich energy gas from the Prosper coking plant in Bottrop, which had previously been co-fired there. The pipeline from Bottrop to Herne runs directly past the Stadthafen Gelsenkirchen and already supplies a chemical company on site. Four additional energy-intensive companies in and around the port could now switch their process heat systems – and connected gas networks – from natural gas to hydrogen-rich energy gas. This could reduce their CO₂ emissions by around 25%, adding up to a total potential savings of 7,700 tonnes of CO₂ per year.
The network expansion and technical adaptations at the consumer sites are being planned to be 100% H₂-ready. This means all pipeline components and burner technologies are being prepared for the use of pure hydrogen. In Gelsenkirchen, this will be made available from 2024 as green hydrogen produced from renewable sources through the GetH2 Nukleus project. Alternatively, the initiative is working with project developers to examine the possibility of building local electrolysis capacity.
The Stadthafen could thus become one of the first industrial areas connected to a green hydrogen infrastructure – enhancing its attractiveness for existing companies and new business settlements. However, this requires adjustments to the regulatory framework and funding schemes to ensure that green hydrogen becomes economically viable for small and medium-sized industrial enterprises.
If pure hydrogen from the GetH2 Nukleus project, local electrolysis, or hydrogen separation from coke oven gas is used, the total theoretical CO₂ reduction potential rises to around 30,000 tonnes per year.
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