GreenRoot project
In Lutherstadt Wittenberg, VNG AG, VNG Handel & Vertrieb and HyCC are planning to build a state-of-the-art plant for the production of green hydrogen from renewable energy. The electrolyser, with a capacity of up to 500 megawatts, could produce around 50,000 tonnes of green hydrogen annually, providing around 5 percent of Germany’s production capacity envisaged in the National Hydrogen Strategy.
While VNG AG and VNG H&V contribute their expertise in the development of marketable hydrogen concepts, HyCC, as a technical partner, will in future provide the necessary knowhow in the field of electrolysis – the key technology for the production of green hydrogen.
The hydrogen project is intended to be an important building block for the sustainable future of the region and to assure the continued success of the local industrial base into the long term. At the same time, GreenRoot can promote the ramp-up of the hydrogen market in Germany as a whole by tapping into the core network.
The plant, which is scheduled to come on stream in 2029, is to be built on the site of the former waterworks of the Lutherstadt Wittenberg municipal utilities, opposite the Piesteritz Agro-Chemical Park. The site is therefore in the direct vicinity of SKW Piesteritz, which intends to switch its energy supply from fossil fuels to green hydrogen in the future.
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“The current geopolitical developments show us once again that green hydrogen can make a decisive contribution to the future of domestic industry. Domestic hydrogen projects such as GreenRoot are essential for the Central German region. The project will ensure security of supply for local companies and also make green H2 accessible nationwide via a connection to the emerging H2 backbone.”
Clemens Lange, Head of Business Development & Green Transformation
Which VNG Group companies are involved?
Did you know? Key facts & figures about the project:
> In September 2022, the project was presented to the public for the first time at the “Central Germany Hydrogen Congress” in Leipzig.
> The start of deliveries of the green H2 is planned from 2027.
> The projected H2 demand in Central Germany (in 2040) is 22-33 TWh*. The GreenRoot project will ultimately provide an annual supply volume of over 1,6 TWh.
> In addition to supplying our customers in Central Germany, a connection to the emerging H2 backbone of the ONTRAS Gastransport GmbH is planned.
> The headquarters of our project partner HyCC (Hydrogen Chemistry Company) is in Amersfoort, the Netherlands.
* According to Potential Study Green Gases (2022): Analysis and evaluation of the potential of green gases in the Central Germany region
Factsheet
The most important information on the project can also be found in the fact sheet.
Media information
Information on the kick-off event on 04.12.2024 can be found in the newsroom