From the beginning of 2022, the pilot project will see a hydrogen engine power a generator producing 170 kilovolt-ampere of electricity. The initiative involving the two Cologne, Germany-based companies will be based at RheinEnergie’s cogeneration plant in Cologne-Niehl. RheinEnergie is procuring the hydrogen and has already secured its supply.
“We are looking to trial this first system there and to work with the experts from Deutz to study the stationary operation of this engine in combination with the generator,” says Dr. Dieter Steinkamp, CEO of RheinEnergie. “This compact system is ideal for use as a decentralised source of energy for climate-compatible buildings and urban quarters, and perhaps also for use in places that are not yet connected to the electricity grid or heating network.”
The first test cycle, lasting around six months, will solely generate power using the Deutz engine. A second phase will follow this, also lasting several months, in which the waste heat from the system will also be utilised (cogeneration).
