Periodic Reporting for period 5 - Demo4Grid (Demonstration of 4MW Pressurized Alkaline Electrolyser for Grid Balancing Services)
Reporting period: 2022-03-01 to 2023-08-31
The 21st century is dedicated to the energy revolution. The European Union wants a 27% reduction in CO2 emissions by the year 2030. Imported energy, such as oil, coal and gas should be gradually replaced by solar energy, hydropower and wind power. However, this leads to a partial overloading of the power grids. Green hydrogen is the solution to this problem.
Within the framework of the EU project Demonstration for Grid Services, europeans largest single-stack alkaline-pressure electrolysis plant will be set up and tested in Tyrol to regulate the regional electricity network, generate green hydrogen and supply foodstuffs with CO2-free energy.
The plant, supplied by SUNFIRE (IHT) from Switzerland, is being implemented in Völs, near Innsbruck by MPreis, a regional food producer and trader. The Green Energy Center Europe in Innsbruck, is the catalyst for this project, financed by the EU and Switzerland, in which the targets will be hit in the green energy future. Over the next years, the protagonists and European project partners will work responsibly and jointly to make regional resources available for the heat supply and mobility of tomorrow.
The main aim of project Demo4Grid is the commercial setup and demonstration of a technical solution utilizing “above state of the art” Pressurized Alkaline Electrolyser (PAE) technology for providing grid balancing services in real operational and market conditions. The final goal is to provide grid balancing services to the transmission system operator APG (primary and secondary balancing services), to participate in TIWAG’s intra-day and spot markets to generate cost-competitive hydrogen as well as to use surplus hydro-power energy from a station currently near to the electrolysis plant.
In order to validate existing significant differences in local market and grid requirements Demo4Grid has chosen to setup a demonstration site in Austria to demonstrate a viable business case for the operation of a large scale electrolyser adapted to specific local conditions that will be found throughout Europe. To achieve that, Demo4Grid will demonstrate at this demo site with particular needs for hydrogen as a means of harvesting RE production:
- a technical solution to meet all core requirements for providing grid balancing services with a large scale PAE in direct cooperation with grid operators,
- a market based solution to provide value added services and revenues for the operation strategy to achieve commercial success providing grid services and those profits obtained also from the hydrogen application.
DBC (Diadikasia Business Consulting S.A. Greece), SUNFIRE (IHT; Industrie Haute Technologie S.A. Switzerland), FHA (Fundación Hidrógeno Aragón, Spain), INYCOM (Instrumentación y Componentes S.A. Spain), MPREIS (MPREIS Warenvertriebs GmbH, Austria) and FEN-SYSTEMS (FEN Sustain Systems GmbH, Austria) are the partners of the Demo4Grid project.
The electrolysis plant has been successfully installed in Völs near Innsbruck. As of 2022, the energy plant has been built and operated in the facilities of MPREIS. SUNFIRE (IHT) successfully built an alkaline pressure electrolyser with a maximum power consumption of 3.2 MW for the project, while INYCOM developed a remote control centre for advanced maintenance and smart operation. In parallel, MPREIS, end user, supervised the operation and integration in their facilities, DBC and FEN led exploitation and commercialization activities to explore replication of the project, FHA was in charge of dissemination and communication of results and DBC coordinated and managed the project, being the link with the European Commission.
Within the framework of the EU project Demonstration for Grid Services, europeans largest single-stack alkaline-pressure electrolysis plant will be set up and tested in Tyrol to regulate the regional electricity network, generate green hydrogen and supply foodstuffs with CO2-free energy.
The plant, supplied by SUNFIRE (IHT) from Switzerland, is being implemented in Völs, near Innsbruck by MPreis, a regional food producer and trader. The Green Energy Center Europe in Innsbruck, is the catalyst for this project, financed by the EU and Switzerland, in which the targets will be hit in the green energy future. Over the next years, the protagonists and European project partners will work responsibly and jointly to make regional resources available for the heat supply and mobility of tomorrow.
The main aim of project Demo4Grid is the commercial setup and demonstration of a technical solution utilizing “above state of the art” Pressurized Alkaline Electrolyser (PAE) technology for providing grid balancing services in real operational and market conditions. The final goal is to provide grid balancing services to the transmission system operator APG (primary and secondary balancing services), to participate in TIWAG’s intra-day and spot markets to generate cost-competitive hydrogen as well as to use surplus hydro-power energy from a station currently near to the electrolysis plant.
In order to validate existing significant differences in local market and grid requirements Demo4Grid has chosen to setup a demonstration site in Austria to demonstrate a viable business case for the operation of a large scale electrolyser adapted to specific local conditions that will be found throughout Europe. To achieve that, Demo4Grid will demonstrate at this demo site with particular needs for hydrogen as a means of harvesting RE production:
- a technical solution to meet all core requirements for providing grid balancing services with a large scale PAE in direct cooperation with grid operators,
- a market based solution to provide value added services and revenues for the operation strategy to achieve commercial success providing grid services and those profits obtained also from the hydrogen application.
DBC (Diadikasia Business Consulting S.A. Greece), SUNFIRE (IHT; Industrie Haute Technologie S.A. Switzerland), FHA (Fundación Hidrógeno Aragón, Spain), INYCOM (Instrumentación y Componentes S.A. Spain), MPREIS (MPREIS Warenvertriebs GmbH, Austria) and FEN-SYSTEMS (FEN Sustain Systems GmbH, Austria) are the partners of the Demo4Grid project.
The electrolysis plant has been successfully installed in Völs near Innsbruck. As of 2022, the energy plant has been built and operated in the facilities of MPREIS. SUNFIRE (IHT) successfully built an alkaline pressure electrolyser with a maximum power consumption of 3.2 MW for the project, while INYCOM developed a remote control centre for advanced maintenance and smart operation. In parallel, MPREIS, end user, supervised the operation and integration in their facilities, DBC and FEN led exploitation and commercialization activities to explore replication of the project, FHA was in charge of dissemination and communication of results and DBC coordinated and managed the project, being the link with the European Commission.
Since 6th of November 2020, permits obtaining procedure is finished. The status change procedure and nature law compliance procedure have been successfully finalized, all necessary permits for building and operating the D4G site are received and legally enacted. Construction work for the Demo4Grid-building has started in August 2020 and was finalized in September 2021.
On 21st of December 2021, the most important project’s milestone was achieved by the successful installation of the 3.2 MW pressurized alkaline electrolyzer at the food production center of MPREIS in Völs, Austria.
MPREIS electrolysis plant for the production of green hydrogen went into operation on 17th of January 2022 and a month later on 14th of February 2022 the pressure test of the electrolysis stack was completed .
First green hydrogen was produced on 22nd of March 2022. Green hydrogen is produced in particular at times, when there is a high share of renewable energy in the electricity grid . Hdrogen storage is used to time shift production and demand.
Finally, seven success stories are shortlisted at the European Hydrogen Week 2023 with the aim to show how the collaboration between research, industry and policy makers results in the acceleration of the transition to a greener world and progress in innovation. The Demo4Grid project is nominated within the “Success is stacking up for large-scale electrolysers” topic, focusing on successful projects funded by the Clean Hydrogen Partnership that are progressing towards the development, installation and operation of low-temperature PEM or alkaline electrolysers ranging from 3 MW to 20 MW for a range of industrial applications.
On 21st of December 2021, the most important project’s milestone was achieved by the successful installation of the 3.2 MW pressurized alkaline electrolyzer at the food production center of MPREIS in Völs, Austria.
MPREIS electrolysis plant for the production of green hydrogen went into operation on 17th of January 2022 and a month later on 14th of February 2022 the pressure test of the electrolysis stack was completed .
First green hydrogen was produced on 22nd of March 2022. Green hydrogen is produced in particular at times, when there is a high share of renewable energy in the electricity grid . Hdrogen storage is used to time shift production and demand.
Finally, seven success stories are shortlisted at the European Hydrogen Week 2023 with the aim to show how the collaboration between research, industry and policy makers results in the acceleration of the transition to a greener world and progress in innovation. The Demo4Grid project is nominated within the “Success is stacking up for large-scale electrolysers” topic, focusing on successful projects funded by the Clean Hydrogen Partnership that are progressing towards the development, installation and operation of low-temperature PEM or alkaline electrolysers ranging from 3 MW to 20 MW for a range of industrial applications.
The final investment volume for this high-end innovation project, which is also the spearhead of an emerging hydrogen economy in the region, has overcome the 13 million euros. The financial support for the project comes from the EU, the Swiss state and recently also from Kommunalkredit Public Consulting (KPC Austria). Active support for the project is given by the policy of the federal region of Tyrol, the municipality of Völs and from the numerous administrative bodies providing the corresponding permits in the 3-year development process of this absolutely pioneering project.
Moreover, MPREIS has implemented a multi-fuel refuelling station adjacent to the D4G-site. The goal is to integrate two fuel types (Diesel and H2) to be refuelled at the station. FC-driven trucks in the commercial range of 26 and 40 tons are available. MPREIS demo site preparation is encompassing all preparatory measures to utilize hydrogen produced in her own transportation fleet, as substitute for NG in the production facilities and, furthermore, to substitute low-level heat production with thermal energy supplied by the electrolyser.
Finally, a dual-fuel burner has been implemented. Commissioning of the natural-gas combustion side has successfully taken place inside MPREIS boiler house. The burner/vessel combination is capable of supplying carbn-free industrial process heat to our MPREIS ovens and to suply heat from burning methane, too. The burner is capable of switching among the two primary fuels while in operation. This design allows to secure heat availability to MPREIS baking ovens, decoupled from availability of green hydrogen or natural gas.
Moreover, MPREIS has implemented a multi-fuel refuelling station adjacent to the D4G-site. The goal is to integrate two fuel types (Diesel and H2) to be refuelled at the station. FC-driven trucks in the commercial range of 26 and 40 tons are available. MPREIS demo site preparation is encompassing all preparatory measures to utilize hydrogen produced in her own transportation fleet, as substitute for NG in the production facilities and, furthermore, to substitute low-level heat production with thermal energy supplied by the electrolyser.
Finally, a dual-fuel burner has been implemented. Commissioning of the natural-gas combustion side has successfully taken place inside MPREIS boiler house. The burner/vessel combination is capable of supplying carbn-free industrial process heat to our MPREIS ovens and to suply heat from burning methane, too. The burner is capable of switching among the two primary fuels while in operation. This design allows to secure heat availability to MPREIS baking ovens, decoupled from availability of green hydrogen or natural gas.