Operation Silver Frog: Innovative 2 GW solar/wind/hydrogen plant for Heavy Industry

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  • European partners have submitted a joint proposal to use EU-made solar modules and wind turbines to power green hydrogen for use by heavy industry.
  • The partners hope to secure designated status and backing from the blocโ€™s deep coffers.

At theย Hydrogen for Climateย Conference held in Brussels on Wednesday, four European renewables and hydrogen businesses pitched their โ€œSilver Frogโ€ย green hydrogenย production project for priority support from the EU.

Swiss mechanical engineering companyย Meyer Burger, the Belgian-based unit of Canadian hydrogen businessย Hydrogenics, Hungarian heterojunction PV module manufacturerย Ecosoliferย and Danish renewables developerย European Energyย are hoping to have their plan designated one of theย Important Projects of Common European Interest.

The partners are proposing construction of aย 2 GW solar module factoryย which will be used to help deploy 10 GW of renewable energy generation capacity โ€“ including wind power โ€“ to provide the electricity to produce 100% green hydrogen. The hydrogen will be transported using gas pipelines to help decarbonize heavy industries such as chemicals and steelmaking, in line with the ambition of European PV associationย SolarPower Europe, to which the four companies belong.

Decarbonizing heavy industry

The project partners intend to produce around 800,000 tons of green hydrogen over eight years. That would bring an estimated annual reduction in CO2ย emissions of around eight million tonnes and the project could create at least 6,000 jobs, according to SolarPower Europe.

Hydrogenics Europe will supply the water electrolysis technology and Meyer Burger will deliver the panel production lines for the solar module factory. Ecosolifer will produce modules and develop heterojunction cell technology and European Energy will act as developer.

โ€œThe Silver Frog project reveals how solar can facilitate the development of renewable hydrogen,โ€ said Walburga Hemetsberger, CEO of SolarPower Europe. โ€œFurther, this projectโ€™s emphasis on the integration of PV manufacturing facilities sends a strong signal to the European Commission that any discussions surrounding renewable hydrogen will require a robust renewable industrial strategy.โ€

Bringing solar back to Europe

Thomas Hengst, global sales manager at Meyer Burger, said Silver Frog aims to support the EUโ€™s โ€˜Green Dealโ€™ by focusing on sectors that are hard to decarbonize. The essential element of the proposal is the development of new European production capacities for solar cells and modules. The new technology envisioned in the project was developed in Europe and has the potential to establish itself sustainably and globally, Hengst added.

The European Commission will select the proposals to secure Important Projects of Common European Interest next year and the designation brings significant funding opportunities. SolarPower Europe said there are already eight ambitious hydrogen proposals in the pipeline in Europe.

In answer to the most important question,ย pv magazineย has no idea why the project has been dubbed Silver Frog.

Author: Sandra Enkhardt

This article was originally published in pv magazine and is republished with permission.

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