FEST GmbH supplies climate-neutral hydrogen for Vienna's transportation, electricity and heating
Wiener Wasserstoff GmbH, a subsidiary of Wiener Stadtwerke and Wien Energie, is focusing on its own green hydrogen production in order to achieve the goal of climate neutrality. FEST GmbH from Goslar is supplying the basis for this: a compact and rapidly deployable 3 MW electrolysis plant.
Vienna is aiming for climate neutrality by 2040. In order to make the city emission-free, FEST GmbH is building a “Green Electrolyzer” in Simmering on behalf of Wiener Wasserstoff GmbH. This container-based electrolyzer requires little space and produces around 1,300 kg of hydrogen every day. This hydrogen is mainly used for buses and trucks at a hydrogen filling station operated by sister company Maximator Hydrogen. Wien Energie also uses the green hydrogen in its power plants and makes it available to industrial partners. “We are delighted to support Wiener Wasserstoff GmbH with our technology and experience in this and future projects. Our goal is to become the European market leader for decentralized hydrogen solutions – from production to use,” emphasizes Matthias Authenrieth, CEO of FEST GmbH. “Projects like this underline our ambition.”
Highly efficient hydrogen production thanks to PEM electrolysis
The Green Electrolyzer from FEST GmbH uses water electrolysis to produce hydrogen. In this process, water is broken down into hydrogen and oxygen using electrical energy. If the electricity comes from renewable sources, “green hydrogen” is produced. The company uses highly efficient PEM electrolysis (proton exchange membrane) to convert the electrical energy into chemical energy. A proton exchange membrane surrounded by water is at the heart of the process. When an electrical voltage is applied, protons circulate within the membrane while electrons move in the outer circuit. Hydrogen is produced at the cathode by reduction and oxygen at the anode by oxidation. This direct conversion of electrical energy into chemical energy achieves a high overall efficiency of up to 70 percent.
Compact design and high level of prefabrication for fast installation
Hydrogen is produced in the Green Electrolyzer in individual cells that are stacked and electrically connected in series. In Simmering, three of these stacks, together with the ultrapure water and gas treatment system, form the core of the FEST GmbH plant. With the exception of the dry cooler and the refrigeration system, all the components and parts required for the process are housed in two 40-foot containers to save space. This enables a high degree of prefabrication and minimizes the assembly time on site.
Viennese companies work together for green infrastructure
Wiener Infrastrukturbetriebe is pulling together with its parent company, the Wiener Stadtwerke Group, to realize a climate-neutral infrastructure. Wiener Wasserstoff GmbH bundles the areas of production (Wien Energie), transport and distribution (Wiener Netze) and the use (Wiener Linien) of hydrogen as a source of propulsion and energy. Project manager Michael Schwind explains: “After the first hydrogen filling station in Leopoldau in 2021, the construction of the electrolysis plant is another important step towards a climate-neutral Vienna. My colleagues and I are confident that the plant will produce hydrogen reliably.”
Comprehensive hydrogen expertise from a single source
In addition to FEST GmbH, Maximator Hydrogen, another Schmidt Kranz Group company, is also involved in the Vienna project. As a sister company, Maximator Hydrogen is supplying the hydrogen filling station for trucks and buses. “The advantages of our approach of offering hydrogen infrastructures from a single source are clearly evident in this project: fast and smooth implementation with perfectly coordinated components,” says Matthias Authenrieth, confirming the successful collaboration.
