To succeed in a full transition to renewable energy, the production of green fuels will be necessary to not only fuel hard-to-electrify sectors such as heavy transport and the chemical industry but also as a green backup to balance the energy grid. Currently, electricity costs pose a significant barrier to uptake of green hydrogen globally.  Therefore, it is essential to enable the production of tomorrow’s green fuels by bringing down the cost and increasing the scale of green hydrogen production.

COWI, a Danish engineering consultancy, has partnered with H2 Energy Europe to design a 1GW green hydrogen production facility in Esbjerg, with the ambitious target of becoming a key player in scaling green hydrogen production by 2027.

COWI has signed a front-end engineering design (FEED) contract with H2 Energy Europe for the construction of a 1 GW green hydrogen production facility in Esbjerg, Denmark, named Njordkraft. COWI has prepared a FEED package of the plant’s design with the purpose of ensuring optimal operation and safety.

Njordkraft will become one of the biggest green hydrogen projects globally and will play an important part in filling the rising demand for green fuels when completed. Strategically located near existing and future offshore wind farms and the European Hydrogen Backbone, Njordkraft will be able to leverage renewable energy sources to upscale its production efficiently. Its proximity to the German border not only facilitates cross-border trade but also grants access to key European hydrogen markets with the potential to fuel Europe’s future pipelines with green hydrogen.

By incorporating state-of-the-art Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) electrolyser technology, the plant is engineered to optimise the conversion of renewable energy into green hydrogen. PEM technology is recognised for its advantages in operating at lower temperatures and for having quick response capabilities. This makes it ideal for processing and working with the fluctuating nature of wind-generated power.

With the electrolysis production capacity of 1 GW, the project will be able to produce 90,000 tons of hydrogen yearly by 2027 – establishing it as the world’s largest green hydrogen facility. By 2028, Njordkraft is planned to be coupled to the German hydrogen pipelines, marking an important step in Europe’s green hydrogen market.

The project will also contribute to Esbjerg’s local economy by creating around 90 permanent jobs and up to 900 employees during the three-year construction phase. As a bonus, the surplus heat from the electrolysis process can be utilised to supply the majority of Esbjerg households with CO2-neutral district heating.