Hydrogenics, an Ontario-based fuel cell equipment manufacturer, inked a deal with E.ON, Germany‘s largest investor-owned electric utility, to install a 1 megawatt “power-to-gas” energy storage system in Hamburg, Germany.
The energy storage system will produce hydrogen using excess power generated from renewable energy, primarily wind power. The Hydrogenics‘ system will include the world’s largest proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer stack. Currently, the fuel cell installation at the SolVin plant in Antwerp, Belgium boasts the world’s largest PEM stack.
“Sites such as this E.ON facility will allow Germany to more efficiently use the large amount of renewable energy generated from wind and solar power, which can fluctuate dramatically due to environmental conditions,” said Daryl Wilson, President and CEO of Hydrogenics, in a press release. “Hydrogen-based energy storage systems can absorb surplus energy as needed, return power when required, alleviate grid instability, and improve overall utility performance.”