First regional hydrogen project

FREQCON is planning a pilot project in the EGRA industrial park in Rethem

The company FREQCON, located in the EGRA industrial park in Rethem, develops and builds innovative converter technology and battery storage solutions. The company was recently awarded a TOP 100 seal for exceptional innovation by middle market companies in Germany.

With innovative converter and battery storage solutions and a distributed hydrogen strategy, FREQCON supports the environmental policy goals for a CO2-neutral infrastructure.

A first demonstration project is already planned for 2020/2021 that will see the creation of production facilities that are directly connected to renewable energy carriers (PV and wind), battery storage systems, hydrogen production and an automotive charging station for the transport sector (cars, trucks and buses).

Grid-independent direct operation thanks to FREQCON converter technology can minimise energy losses and lower costs.

The FREQCON solution offers an optimal mix for zero-emission vehicles. Plus, the green hydrogen can be used by gas distributors. Feeding of the hydrogen into the local gas network can be tested for demonstration purposes.

In a further phase, the pilot project will investigate the use of heat for commercial buildings.

Collaboration between FREQCON and EGRA

The hydrogen pilot project will be implemented in the industrial park revitalised by EGRA with the support of the Ministry of Economics of Lower Saxony and NBank. EGRA is reserving four of the six lots for FREQCON for a period of three years, including a purchase option on the individual lots. During the leasing period, the project will be designed in detail, the respective legal entities will be chosen for the individual areas/lots and questions on energy generation will be answered by the erection of additional photovoltaic systems and a (research) wind turbine. Subsidisation options will be explored and the implementation will be started.

If approved by the funding agency, the remaining two new lots will be used for the construction of a hydrogen fuelling station and an electric charging station, including a workshop. A third partner may also participate in the project as builder of the hydrogen fuelling station / electric charging station. EGRA is in talks with an interesting potential investor for this part of the project.