Green hydrogen research project underway

WTZ and MWM have begun a two-year research project on the use of hydrogen for energy generation.

Engine maker MWM and WTZ, a non-profit research institution in the field of large engines, are embarking on a two-year hydrogen research project funded by the German government.

The goal of the project is to use the electricity generated by renewable energies for hydrogen production in electrolyzers. The green hydrogen produced in this way is temporarily stored and, when needed, used for decentralized electricity and heat generation by combustion in the hydrogen engine with high efficiencies.

“Gas engines will play a central role in the conversion from a fossil-based to a lower carbon energy supply,” said Dr.-Ing. Christian Reiser, Managing Director of WTZ Roßlau gGmbH. “The goal here must be to switch to CO2-neutral energy sources as quickly as possible. The foundation for this must be laid now by offering gas-fired power plants with the possibility of being converted to new fuels during their operating life through admixtures (keyword: H2-Ready) or even completely.”

MWM gas generator sets are already capable of operating with a hydrogen mixture of up to 25%.

The project partners are analyzing the development of further generator set improvements and optimizations. The research spectrum covers the topics of carbon reduction, efficiency increase, use of alternative fuels, reduced emissions, use of exhaust heat, useful life, and hydrogen-only operation.

The project partners are analyzing the effects of different levels of hydrogen admixtures in the natural gas network as well as the consequences about the maintenance intervals of the engine components and the service life. Suitable long-term tests will be carried out for this purpose.

“Distributed energy generation with gas engines is already playing a key role in attaining the federal government’s climate targets. In a reliable and flexible way, it balances fluctuations in the availability of wind and solar energy. By using hydrogen, our industry will deliver an even more significant contribution to the reliable supply of clean energy,” said Will Easley, Engineering Manager at MWM.