New 800 MW green hydrogen project launched in Northern Germany

Denmark’s Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP), through its Energy Transition Fund (ETF), and German Friesen Elektra Green Energy have initiated project Anker, a green hydrogen production facility in Sande, Northern Germany.

The project, scheduled to have an electrolysis capacity of 400 MW with plans to expand it to 800 MW at a later stage, is located near Wilhelmshaven, which is considered an important energy and industrial hub, as well as near the future German hydrogen core network.

As disclosed, it is projected to produce 80,000 tons of green hydrogen annually, which will reportedly, benefit key German industries, including steel and chemicals, as well as the transport sector.

According to CIP, the project will bolster the regional economy in Lower Saxony by creating new jobs, growth and fostering active community engagement.

Project Anker will be powered by renewable energy from the grid, supported by offshore and onshore wind, as well as solar energy, CIP revealed, adding that by substituting fossil fuels with green hydrogen, the project can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 2.4 million tons annually, equivalent to the emissions of approximately 340,000 households.

Felix Pahl, Partner at CIP, commented: “Project Anker has the potential to make an important contribution to Germany’s journey towards a carbon-neutral future. At CIP, we continue to see a large potential in green hydrogen despite slower than expected market development and we remain committed to investments in large-scale renewable infrastructure solutions to decarbonize energy-intensive industries. We look very much forward to bring the project to realization together with our new partners at Friesen Elektra and to a constructive collaboration with the German authorities.”

Christian Gätje, CFO of Friesen Elektra, stated: “We are delighted to welcome CIP and its highly skilled, experienced team as a strategic investor and development partner in our Hydrogen Park Friesland. This collaboration is a major step towards creating one of Germany’s premier hydrogen production sites. Together, we aim to accelerate the energy transition and advance decarbonization by leveraging our combined strengths and expertise.”

As for CIP’s other hydrogen activities, it is worth mentioning that, in late 2024, the HØST PtX Esbjerg project, part of CIP’s ETF, received primary environmental approvals from the Danish Environmental Agency– EIA, marking a milestone in the project’s development. Earlier in the year, CIP signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Uniper to strengthen collaboration on bringing green hydrogen from the project to Germany.

HØST PtX Esbjerg is expected to produce up to 120-140,000 tonnes of green hydrogen per annum for use in the chemicals, steel and refinery industry, predominantly expected in the German market. As per HØST, this corresponds to +600,000 tonnes of green ammonia per annum, which can be used as feedstock to produce green fertilizer or as green maritime fuel.