Uniper SE and Siemens Gas and Power signed a cooperation agreement for the development of projects on the decarbonization of power generation and promoting sector coupling. It extends the long-standing partnership between the two companies. It is important to look at the energy, mobility and industry sectors together, because they all can and must contribute to reducing greenhouse gases. One focus of the planned cooperation is the production and use of “green hydrogen” – in other words, hydrogen from renewable energy sources. The companies intend to implement projects in this field together, addressing the entire value chain. Several other large-scale renewable-hydrogen projects are also in progress across the globe, including in Singapore, Germany and Western Australia.

 

The scope of the new cooperation agreement also includes the evaluation of the potential of Uniper’s existing gas turbines and gas storage facilities for the use of hydrogen. The focus of the work is to define what role can hydrogen play in the future evolution of Uniper’s coal power plants. Uniper recently announced that it would close or convert its coal-fired power plants in Germany by 2025 at the latest. Uniper’s coal-exit plan is instrumental to make the company achieve its objective of becoming climate neutral in its European power generation by 2035.

 

Siemens and Uniper have been partners for many years in integrated products, solutions and services along the entire energy value chain. In addition, the companies share a pioneering role in power-to-gas plants in which hydrogen or methane are produced from renewable energies. Power-to-gas plants can provide a technical answer to one of the key questions of the energy revolution: How can the fluctuating energy sources sun and wind be stored and thus made plannable? The aim of this cooperation is to contribute to improving the economic efficiency and thus the marketability of power-to-gas plants.

 

Uniper CEO Andreas Schierenbeck said “After the coal phase-out and the switch to a secure gas-based energy supply, the use of climate-friendly gas will be a major step towards successful energy system transformation; therefore, the decarbonization of the gas industry, including gas-fired power generation, is essential if Germany and Europe are to achieve their climate targets. We are ready to invest and have set the strategic course to significantly accelerate the decarbonization of our portfolio. In doing so, it is important to bundle energies, act openly in terms of technology, and work with proven high-technology partners like Siemens.”

 

Jochen Eickholt, Siemens Energy Executive Board Member stated, "Green hydrogen” can contribute to achieving climate targets and is thus a key to a successful energy turnaround. And it can do so across sectors in industry, mobility, and heat and power generation. But we’re only at the beginning. Joint projects with our customers, such as the partnership with Uniper focusing on “brownfield transformation” and the design of the “green hydrogen” value chain, are extremely important here. Here we can show that a CO2-free, environmentally friendly energy supply is possible and makes sense under real conditions and using existing plants. Together, we are working to master the challenges up to series production and use of hydrogen on a large scale and to make this clear to the world: Our future lies in hydrogen. This is what we are committed to as a company “.