Oldenburg, September 6, 2023. The companies EWE and JET H2 Energy jointly drive forward the mobility transformation in the northwest of Germany. The plan is to establish a comprehensive hydrogen filling station network. Chief Technical Officer of EWE, Dr. Urban Keussen and Olaf Borbor, CEO of JET H2 Energy, signed a corresponding agreement (MoU) on the sidelines of the beyondgas energy congress in Oldenburg on Tuesday evening.
"There is consensus that the climate transformation also includes a transformation towards low-emission transport. However, no one can implement this huge project alone. It needs combined forces and political support. With JET H2 Energy, we now have a partner at our side who is specialized in hydrogen filling station construction and wants to massively drive forward the development of reliable infrastructure within this decade."
Dr. Urban Keussen, Chief Technical Officer of EWE
Important Milestones for Climate Neutrality in 2045
The cooperation between EWE and JET H2 Energy supports climate protection in northwestern Germany, EWE's home region between the rivers Ems, Weser and Elbe.
"With the great retail expertise of JET/Phillips 66, the successful development of the hydrogen ecosystem in Switzerland by H2 Energy and our growth strategy in Germany, Denmark and Austria, the JET H2 Energy joint venture brings good prerequisites to the partnership. With EWE, we have a knowledge supplier at our side that brings extensive experience along the hydrogen value chain from hydrogen production to storage and transport."
Olaf Borbor, CEO of JET H2 Energy
Both companies combine innovation and modernity in rural areas as well as the approach to establish stable, regional and nationwide ecosystems for green hydrogen. These are important milestones on the way to climate neutrality by 2045.
As part of the collaboration, JET H2 Energy will focus on the construction and operation of hydrogen filling stations. EWE as a partner will supply green hydrogen. The hydrogen will be produced from renewable energies – initially in smaller hydrogen production plants, for example in Cuxhaven and Bremen – and filled into hydrogen trailers. In the future, EWE plans to produce green hydrogen on a power plant scale, for example in a planned 320-megawatt electrolysis plant in Emden, East Frisia. However, EU funding approval for the construction of the large-scale project is still pending, as is the construction of a hydrogen pipeline infrastructure to transport the energy carrier to the filling stations.
Hydrogen Filling Stations for Brake, Cuxhaven, Leer and Schortens
The EWE-JET H2 Energy collaboration initially plans to build four hydrogen filling stations in Brake, Cuxhaven, Leer and Schortens. These are to be funded by the German Federal Ministry of Digital Affairs and Transport as part of the HyPerformer project "Hyways for Future" and as part of the National Innovation Programme Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology. EWE had originally intended to build the hydrogen filling station in Schortens as part of the "HyFri" project in cooperation with the district of Frisia, the public transport company DB Regio and Friesen Elektra. With its core competence in filling station construction and operation, JET H2 Energy will support this project in Frisia.
Focus on Technology-open Electromobility
In total, JET H2 Energy has planned the construction and operation of around 200 public hydrogen filling stations in Germany. In doing so, the joint venture of the British Phillips 66 Ltd. and the Swiss H2 Energy Europe AG is relying on close partnerships with regional players to establish hydrogen as an essential energy carrier in the mobility sector.
"We are firmly convinced that the establishment of regional hydrogen ecosystems will contribute to the success of the transformation towards low-emission transport. Especially in rural areas, where bus companies and freight forwarders, waste management companies or even fire departments are on the road, there is a need for available green fuel. And this is what we are committed to."
Olaf Borbor, CEO of JET H2 Energy
This is also one goal of the energy service provider EWE. The company has been working hard for climate-friendly mobility in rural areas in the northwest of Germany for many years and is, for example, building a charging station infrastructure for battery-powered electric vehicles. This form of electromobility is particularly suitable for individual passenger transport. On long distances and in heavy-duty traffic, hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles can score highly. Since these are powered by an electric motor, but the electricity for this is generated using hydrogen in a fuel cell, hydrogen propulsion also counts as electromobility.
