RWE and Westfalen Group have commenced construction of the H2 Filling Hub Lingen, a hydrogen tank infrastructure project aimed at bolstering hydrogen refueling capabilities in the region.
This project includes a public hydrogen refueling station for commercial vehicles located at the main gate of the RWE Emsland gas-fired power plant (KEM) and a non-public filling station for tanker vehicles.
The refueling stations will source green hydrogen from RWE’s 14-megawatt pilot electrolyser in Lingen, set to begin operations shortly. The public station targets hydrogen-powered trucks, waste collection vehicles, buses, and cars.
Companies that enter purchase agreements with RWE can collect hydrogen using tank trailers starting mid-2025, with the first quantities already being sold. Interested parties can register for the hydrogen tender via a web form.
Dr. Sopna Sury, COO Hydrogen at RWE Generation SE, emphasized the importance of the project: “Until companies in the region are connected to a hydrogen distribution network, our filling infrastructure creates an opportunity for green molecules to reach the customer by road. In this way, we will make green hydrogen available as early as 2025 and enable companies to switch their processes to hydrogen and achieve their climate targets at an early stage.”
Dr. Thomas Perkmann, CEO of Westfalen Group, said: “The future belongs to hydrogen as a raw material and energy source. We are convinced of this. The hydrogen refueling station and the neighboring filling station here in Lingen are just the first visible signs of the hydrogen cooperation between RWE and Westfalen.”
The project is supported by the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport Affairs (BMDV) with €6 million in funding as part of the National Innovation Programme for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology. Additional funding comes from the German Recovery and Resilience Plan (DARP) via the European Recovery and Resilience Facilities (ARF) under the NextGenerationEU program. The funding guideline is coordinated by NOW GmbH and implemented by Project Management Jülich (PtJ). The total investment volume for the project is approximately €18 million.
RWE and Westfalen AG are jointly developing and constructing the plant, with RWE owning the facility and Westfalen managing operations. This collaboration marks the first joint project between the two companies. To expand the hydrogen fuel station network in Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia, they have established a joint venture named “two4H2”.
The refueling station in Lingen can provide up to 500 kilograms of hydrogen per day, with the entire system capable of processing over 2,500 kilograms daily. For context, a fuel cell truck consumes up to 10 kilograms of hydrogen per 100 kilometers.