PNE has been granted €190,000 in EU funding for the Polish Cross Border Pomeranian Green Hydrogen Cluster project to investigate the possibilities for connection to the European hydrogen network.
Together with the Polish and German gas network operators GAZ-SYSTEM and GASCADE, the company was selected for the financing from among numerous applications.
In the Cross Border Pomeranian Green Hydrogen Cluster project, the Polish PNE subsidiary Sevivon is planning wind farms and photovoltaic plants with a total rated output of around 2GW in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship.
This will produce green electricity for two 500MW electrolysers to decarbonise parts of the industry that cannot be electrified.
In order for green energy to be successful, especially in the steel and chemical industries, green hydrogen must be available in sufficient quantities and at competitive prices, said the developer.
The Cross Border Pomeranian Green Hydrogen Cluster combines favourable, extensive production conditions with low distribution costs, which are possible thanks to the direct connection to the European hydrogen network, added PNE.
Its chief executive Per Hornung Pedersen said: “We are pleased to announce another milestone for one of the largest internal production of green hydrogen in Europe.
“With this project, we hope to contribute significantly to the market ramp-up of green hydrogen and to make a substantial contribution to independent energy security.”
To connect hydrogen production, a comprehensive infrastructure in the area of gas and electricity grids is necessary, said the developer, which has entered into a cooperation with the Polish gas network operator GAZ-SYSTEM and the German GASCADE Gastransport GmbH.
The financial support is provided by the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) program. The first step of this funding is to finance feasibility studies on the connection of electrolysers to the European hydrogen network.
This includes the planned connection to the national hydrogen network in Poland and the cross-border connection of the German and Polish networks.
The award provides for a grant of €190,000.