Siemens Energy says it will locate the industrial production of electrolysis modules in Berlin, taking the “centerpiece of its hydrogen technology” to the capital. Production is slated to start at the location Huttenstrasse in Berlin’s Moabit locality in 2023.
The complete infrastructure of an existing production hall will be used, according to the company. New production lines are reportedly being set up on 2,000 square meters at a cost of around 30 million euros. Today, the site mainly manufactures gas turbines, which are among the most powerful and efficient in the world, says Siemens. These reportedly can already be operated with up to 50% hydrogen. By 2030, complete hydrogen operation should be possible.
“With the new production facility for hydrogen electrolyzers, we are reinforcing our claim to play an active role in shaping the energy transition. To this end, we are pooling our knowledge in the field of various energy technologies in Berlin,” says Christian Bruch, president and CEO of Siemens Energy. “For us, hydrogen is an important component of the future energy world. For this to be economically viable, the manufacturing costs for electrolyzers must be significantly reduced. With our new production facility, we are helping to make hydrogen competitive sooner.”
At the Berlin location, the individual electrolyzer cells will be manufactured and combined to form functional modules, or “stacks.” Depending on the required capacity, these will be assembled into larger process-based units. In Germany, this last stage will take place at Mülheim, which is closely associated with the new Berlin plant and complements it perfectly, according to Siemens. The critical element is that production is being switched over to mass production: reasonably priced and affordable electrolyzers are the prerequisite for being able to cover growing demand and the future costs of hydrogen, says the company.
For more information, visit: www.siemens-energy.com