The agreements cover output from offshore wind and utility-scale solar assets that will contribute to powering the 100 MW PEM electrolyser scheduled to begin operating in 2027. Under a five-year contract, Shell will offtake around one-third of the electricity from the 332 MW Nordsee One offshore wind farm, along with approximately 75% of the generation from the 230 MW Halenbeck-Rohlsdorf solar project through a separate 10-year arrangement.
The REFHYNE 2 electrolyser will produce hydrogen for use in fuel and chemical production at the Shell Energy and Chemicals Park Rheinland. The renewable power supplied to the unit will help further reduce Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions at the site. The electrolyser is expected to generate up to 16,000 tonnes of hydrogen per year.
Andy Beard, President of Hydrogen at Shell, said: “Through these renewable power agreements, we are bringing together our advanced trading capabilities and our Low Carbon Solutions expertise to decarbonise Shell’s operations and customer products with pioneering renewable hydrogen technology. This is an exciting milestone in progressing the REFHYNE 2 project and showcases Shell’s strategy of delivering more value with less emissions.”
“This corporate PPA for carbon free electricity will deliver steady economic and environmental value for all its partners and show the potential for offshore wind to support the decarbonisation of the German industry,” said Till Frohloff, Managing Director of Nordsee One.
Karl-Heinz Remmers, co-CEO of Solarkraftwerk Halenbeck, added: “The Halenbeck project shows that subsidy-free solar power production in Germany and its large-scale industrial use is a reality. Using this electricity to help produce hydrogen for the decarbonisation of fuels and chemical products is a huge step forward. It demonstrates once again that solar power has become a mainstay of Germany’s energy supply.”
