The combined heat and power plant (CHP) will generate green power and heat. With this flagship project, the two companies are laying the foundations for greater security of supply in the use of green energy. As part of the commissioning of the world’s first 100% hydrogen storage facility in a porous underground reservoir of RAG’s “Underground Sun Storage”, up to 4.2GWh of electricity produced in summer can be kept ready for winter in the form of green hydrogen.
Commissioning of the highly efficient, flexible Jenbacher hydrogen CHP plant in the 1MW range is
scheduled for Spring 2024.
In winter, electricity can then be generated on-demand from the green energy reserves, and the waste heat can be used for heating purposes.
In this project, INNIO and RAG are augmenting the entire value chain, focusing on seamless coordination between the generation, conversion, storage, and – most notably – supply of green energy.
“In Gampern, Upper Austria, we are demonstrating what can and must be done to manage the
energy transition by securing a reliable supply of green energy throughout the year,” explains
Markus Mitteregger, CEO of RAG Austria AG.
He added, “The hydrogen cogeneration plant is a key building block for the entire hydrogen ramp-up, because flexible, quick-start CHP plants can not only generate electricity as needed, but also produce the heat that is so important in winter. This significantly improves efficiency while also facilitating the heating transition.”
“Our hydrogen technology is foundational for energy security in the age of volatile renewables. We
are already helping businesses and communities around the world to become carbon-neutral,”
said Dr. Olaf Berlien, president and CEO of INNIO Group.
