Energy storage and sustainable generation are important aspects of the energy transition. Novar is contributing to that transition with green hydrogen production. We store the green hydrogen in a hydrogen battery. This is an innovative solution to problems such as grid congestion.
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Green hydrogen is produced by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen. This process is called electrolysis and requires electricity to take place. The splitting takes place in an electrochemical cell. Using electric charge, water is then converted into hydrogen and oxygen. If you use sustainably generated electricity for hydrogen production, such as solar power, then you produce green hydrogen with no emissions. And that, of course, is what we want.
How does it work?
An electrolyser can be used to turn electricity into green hydrogen. Green hydrogen can be stored easily in a hydrogen battery and used later as a fuel for heavy goods vehicles and industrial processes.
The hydrogen battery converts excess sustainably generated energy (from the solar panels) into hydrogen. This hydrogen can be converted back into electricity for consumption later. The conversion process emits no CO2 at all, which makes it a clean energy source.
The benefit of a hydrogen battery is that – just like a normal battery – it is modular and scalable and can be easily adapted to any environment. In addition, the generated energy does not need to be fed into the grid, which makes it a good solution to grid congestion.
In Nieuw-Buinen, with some 288,000 solar panels, lies solar park Hollandia. Together with Avitec, the co-owner of the park, we have the ambition to produce a part of this solar power, green hydrogen. To this end, a 5MW PEM electrolyser has been installed at the 115 MWp solar park. This electrolyser splits water into hydrogen and oxygen.
The installation of the electrolyser will half the curtailment of the solar farm. Curtailment occurs when the capacity of the solar farm is temporarily reduced. This happens when supply exceeds demand. By installing an electrolyser, the curtailment of the solar farm can be halved. The curtailment will be converted into 300 tonnes of hydrogen annually, which equates to 10% of the annual production of the hydrogen system.
Novar is currently developing a hydrogen system at the Vloeivelden Hollandia solar farm in Nieuw-Buinen. This project is expected to be completed in Q2 of 2024.
Getting to work
By working with a hydrogen battery, we have found a good solution to grid congestion. Would you like to know more about this solution or our other innovative solutions? Novar has a suitable solution for your energy needs. Whether it’s hydrogen, energy storage or energy generation: we’ll fix it.
Do you want to work with us, do you have questions or do you want to pass on a change? Then contact us – we’re happy to help.
