News from the construction site – the February update

In February, numerous technical works at the Bad Lauchstädt Energy Park are focused on preparing for the next commissioning steps. Several plant areas are now in final outfitting or just ahead of the first functional tests.

Hydrogen pipeline remains stably preserved

The project’s hydrogen pipeline continues to be continuously filled with hydrogen and kept at a defined pressure level. This measure protects the pipeline and already provides the opportunity to examine pipeline behaviour more closely during hydrogen storage. The most recently carried out sampling shows no critical changes in the gas composition. This confirms that the pipeline is in a stable condition.

Gas processing plant shortly before technical start

The next steps are also drawing closer in the hydrogen gas processing plant. Now that all remaining control cabinets have been delivered, the wiring of the control and measurement systems is currently underway.

Once this work is complete, technical commissioning of the plant will begin. In this phase, all components are first tested without hydrogen – so-called cold commissioning. Among other things, the project partners check the control system, safety systems and process sequences before the plant is later operated with hydrogen.

Work in the storage area completed

Construction work under the responsibility of VNG Gasspeicher GmbH (VGS) has now been completed. Site clearance is currently being carried out together with project partner DBI – Gastechnologisches Institut Freiberg . This includes, among other things, the final road construction as well as backfilling and restoring the surfaces around the plant areas.

Connection to the refinery technically established

As early as January, the physical grid connection point to the TotalEnergies refinery in Leuna was established. This means the technical connection between hydrogen production at the Energy Park and the future industrial off-taker has been created.

All that remains outstanding is the installation of the measurement technology in the so-called I&C room of the electrolysis plant. In future, central measurement, control and regulation systems will be operated there, enabling, among other things, the precise recording of hydrogen volumes.

Further plant components fully installed

In other central plant components, key steps were achieved in February:

• The reciprocating compressors, which bring the hydrogen produced up to the required pressure, were delivered. This means all key technical components of the electrolysis plant are now on site.

• The air coolers have already been commissioned. In combination with the associated cooling-water circuit, they will later ensure that process heat can be reliably dissipated.

• The water treatment system, which provides the highly pure water required for electrolysis, has also been running for some time and, for final completion, only needs to undergo a 600 h test.

February therefore shows that many plant areas are now in the final phase of technical preparation. Step by step, systems are being tested, connected and prepared for the upcoming commissioning steps.