Some important signatures have been put on the first project for green hydrogen production and refuelling stations in Klaipėda, Lithuania.
Klaipėda State Seaport Authority has signed a contract with MT Group, which will supply the equipment for green hydrogen production and the stationary public refuelling stations, as well as assemble it and carry out all startup and adjustment operations.
“In a couple of years, we will not only have electricity generated by solar, wind or other renewable energy sources, but also green hydrogen. We are determined not only to create energy that will reduce environmental impact, but also to contribute to the development of clean energy in Lithuania and Europe by enabling hydrogen as a sustainable energy source for our ships, transport and industry,” stated Algis Latakas, Director General of Klaipėda Seaport Authority.
The production and supply of green hydrogen in the Port of Klaipėda is planned for 2026. Design work is currently underway and tendering procedures will soon be launched for the selection of a contractor for the site to house the hydrogen production equipment.
In Klaipėda Port, green hydrogen will be produced by electrolysis – using a polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) type electrolyser. The planned electricity demand for the hydrogen production equipment in the Klaipėda Port is up to 3 MW. It is planned to produce around 500 kilograms of hydrogen per day and up to 127 tonnes per year.
In Europe, there are now around 200 hydrogen refuelling stations, powering ships, cars and other vehicles, and hydrogen is being tested for heating homes. The green hydrogen produced in the Lithuanian port will primarily be used for port purposes: a vessel is being built to collect waste from ships leaving and arriving in the port and will be powered by green hydrogen produced in the port.
The rest of the hydrogen produced will be used to refuel other vehicles – ships, railways and land road vehicles. Hydrogen will be available for public transport and to refuel private cars.
Additionally, an agreement has been signed with one of the stevedoring companies operating in the Port of Klaipėda, which would like to use hydrogen for its locomotives.
The environmental impact assessment procedures for the project were finalised in May this year. The Environmental Protection Agency has approved a green hydrogen production and supply project in the Port of Klaipėda. The equipment will be installed and the green hydrogen will be produced at the Port Authority’s fleet base (Nemuno g. 40, Klaipėda). Approval has also been given for the design proposals for green fuel (hydrogen) production and refuelling stations in the Port of Klaipėda.
The Environmental Impact Assessment report estimates that around 22-23 litres of water are needed to produce one kilogram of hydrogen. To produce 500 kilograms of hydrogen per day in the Port of Klaipėda, approximately 11m³ of water will be needed. With the plant operating at full capacity and producing around 127 tonnes of hydrogen per year, the water demand will be around 4,200m³. This includes water for hydrogen production, water demineralisation and plant cooling.
The contract, which commits the contractor to deliver the equipment for the green hydrogen production and public refuelling station, to install the electrical, automation and safety systems, to carry out all commissioning and debugging works and to provide after-sales service for the first two years, amounts to €8.7 million.
The green hydrogen production and refuelling station projects in the Port of Klaipėda will be partly financed by the European Union Investment Programme 2021-2027 and the Economic Recovery and Resilience Plan “New Generation Lithuania”. The total value of the hydrogen production and refuelling stations project is expected to be around €10.5 million (US$11.3 million) with the EU financing around €6 million (US$6,5 million) of the project.
