From today, the Czech economy can count on a stable supply of the first kilograms of the fuel of the future, emission-free green hydrogen. The gas produced by a large photovoltaic plant supported by wind power at Solar Global's facility will be used for long-term storage of electricity from clean sources and will also be distributed to consumers in industry or the clean transport sector.
The ceremonial launch of the first industrial electrolyser for the production of green hydrogen was attended by the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Markéta Pekarová Adamová and the Minister of the Environment Petr Hladík at Solar Global's headquarters in Napajedlí. The electrolyser with a proton exchange membrane (PEM), supplemented by a battery storage, will produce 8,000 kilograms of emission-free hydrogen annually thanks to renewable energy. This amount allows a range of 800,000 kilometres if used in a hydrogen-powered passenger car or 80,000 kilometres if refuelled in a hydrogen bus.
"Green hydrogen enables the long-term storage of clean energy from renewable sources, even over months, and is thus a suitable complement to large-capacity battery storage systems, which are effective in storing surpluses from photovoltaics or wind power in the short term. Six years ago Solar Global was the first energy company in the Czech Republic to commission a large-capacity battery storage facility and I am proud that we can now claim leadership in terms of long-term storage technology for green hydrogen in industrial applications," says Vítězslav Skopal, Chairman of the Board of Solar Global.
"Green hydrogen has enormous potential. It is a clean and sustainable source of energy that will allow us to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and at the same time reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Today's inauguration of the electrolyser for the production of green hydrogen is therefore another important step on our path towards greater energy independence, security and an overall healthier environment," said Markéta Pekarová Adamová, Chair of the Chamber of Deputies.
"I am very happy that today, during my day trip to the Zlín Region, I was able to visit the pilot industrial electrolyser for green hydrogen in the Czech Republic. Thanks to the support from the Modernisation Fund, Napajedlice can fully start using the emission-free fuel of the future. I see green gas as a solution that will help solve the surplus of electricity from solar and wind power plants in the future, alongside batteries. Its progressive use in practice is part of the mosaic of solutions for an economy independent of fossil fuels. Green hydrogen will help decarbonise industrial enterprises or public transport," said Environment Minister Petr Hladík (KDU-ČSL).
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
"The recently approved government climate and energy plan, co-prepared by the Ministry of the Environment, envisages hydrogen as a sustainable replacement for natural gas. The advantage of green hydrogen is that it can be produced directly in the Czech Republic. Our goal is to produce up to 32,000 tonnes of hydrogen in 2030," adds Petr Hladík on the national targets for green hydrogen.
The first energy system for the industrial production of green hydrogen was built with the support of the Modernisation Fund. The 230 kW electrolyser has an operating life of 50,000 hours and can potentially produce 29,900 kilograms of hydrogen per year. The company installed the plant in the spring and it has been in test operation since June. The electrolyser will now run at continuous load. In full green mode, it can currently produce an average of 22 kilograms of green hydrogen per day, with a maximum capacity of 82 kilograms of the gas per day.
"In the mode of operation only from renewable sources, it produces almost 8 thousand kilograms of hydrogen per year, thanks to the energy from the 611 kWp photovoltaic power plant, which is located on the roof and facade of the Solar Global headquarters in Napajedly. The system is complemented by a 206 kWh battery storage with a capacity of 100 kW. The green hydrogen is stored in a 640-litre pressure-balancing tank," says Vítězslav Skopal.
"Several individual green hydrogen production facilities have recently been built in the Czech Republic, but these are only pilot projects designed to test the practical use of this green gas. Solar Global is the first company in the Czech Republic that has embarked on the production of green hydrogen on a large industrial scale, has thought through the economics of the project, the application of the technology on the market and the vision of how to make hydrogen an integral part of its business. And we at the Modern Energy Association are proud to be part of the story of bringing green hydrogen into practical use in the Czech Republic," adds Tomáš Buzrla, Executive Director of the Modern Energy Association.
Solar Global wants to use green hydrogen mainly for energy storage. The associated pressurised storage tank can store 400 kilograms of this gas, which is the equivalent of a large-scale battery storage of 13 MWh. The total storage potential of photovoltaic energy is 246 MWh per year. A refuelling station for hydrogen-powered cars will also be built at the site within two years, allowing a car to be refuelled in less than 8 minutes. In addition to hydrogen, the electrolyser will also produce emission-free oxygen for use in industry, food processing or healthcare.
"Green hydrogen is key to the decarbonisation of the Czech energy sector and economy. In addition to providing long-term energy storage from clean sources, it will also help replace some of the imported fossil fuels and decarbonise those industries that cannot be electrified and where reducing the carbon footprint is problematic. These are mainly chemical or metallurgical industries, or heavy goods transport. The production of this fuel of the future has so far only been carried out in small pilot projects in the Czech Republic, but the energy complex in Napajedli is proof that we can produce green hydrogen on an industrial scale in the Czech Republic," says Martin Sedlák, Programme Director of the Modern Energy Association.
O Solar Global, a. s.
Solar Global Group has been operating on the market since 2009, during its operation it has implemented more than 140 photovoltaic power plant projects in the Czech Republic with a capacity of more than 100 MWp, some of them are still in operation including full service. These are mainly smaller and medium-sized ground and rooftop installations in industrial zones and brownfield sites. In addition to the Czech Republic, it is also active in Poland, Spain, Romania and Germany. Under the Modernisation Fund, the company has received support for 47 photovoltaic power plant and battery system projects, as well as a pilot project for an electrolyser producing green hydrogen. The new solar projects, with a total capacity of almost 65 MWp, will also be complemented by battery plants with a capacity of over 25 MWh.
For more information on electrolyser parameters and green hydrogen, please visit www.sghydrogen.cz
