Emsland: Experience the future of hydrogen up close!

Emsland: Experience the future of hydrogen up close!

On an exciting trip to Emsland, members of the Hydrogen Hub Rhein-Kreis Neuss / Rheinland e.V. experienced the latest developments in hydrogen technology on July 7th and 8th, 2025. Your destination, the Hydrogen Valley Emsland, has established itself as one of the leading hydrogen regions in Europe, which made the trip not only educational but also future-oriented. Dr. Tim Husmann, Managing Director of the H2 Region Emsland, warmly welcomed the participants and highlighted the importance of hydrogen as a key in the future energy system.

A highlight of the excursion was the visit to bp Lingen, where the largest industrial electrolysis plant with an output of 100 MW is located. This plant has the potential to produce up to 11,000 tons of green hydrogen annually. We continued to the Hy2gen Atlantis PtL plant in Werlte, which has been successfully producing green hydrogen since 2013 and converting it into synthetic methane. Local compass reports that the trip ended with a shipyard tour at MEYER WERFT in Papenburg, where participants saw the impressive LNG cruiser Disney Destiny.

Insights and insights

Katharina Leuffen, Managing Director of the Hydrogen Hub, gave a consistently positive assessment and spoke of exciting insights into hydrogen technologies. Dr. Dieter Ostermann, CEO, emphasized the importance of the Hydrogen Valley Emsland as a model for the planned Hydrogen Valley Rhine-Ruhr. Dirk Brügge, the association's deputy chairman, emphasized how important the knowledge gained is for building a hydrogen ecosystem in the Rhineland. A total of over 40 people took part in this insightful trip, including numerous representatives from politics and business.

The Hydrogen Hub RKN/Rheinland e.V. was founded in 2020 by Jutta Zülow with the aim of acting as a contact for hydrogen technologies and infrastructure. The association now has over 150 members and has established itself as a central player in the region.

Hydrogen in the energy system of the future

Hydrogen is not only playing an increasing role in the Rhine-Ruhr region. At the national level, the federal government plans to expand hydrogen electrolyzers with an output of 5 GW by 2030, which should contribute to the provision of 14 TWh of hydrogen. This is part of an overall plan like Umweltbundesamt.de explains in order to advance the energy transition and reduce CO₂ emissions in industry, especially in the steel and chemical industries.

However, the efficiency of hydrogen as an energy source should not be overlooked. Hydrogen can demonstrate its strengths in areas where direct use of renewable energies is not possible. The aspect of the circular economy, which promotes sustainable use of resources, is also particularly interesting. According to the Fraunhofer Society The transition from linear to circular systems can help to significantly minimize waste production and increase sustainability in hydrogen production.

In summary, it can be said that the trip to Emsland not only opened up new perspectives on hydrogen technology for the participants, but also clearly highlighted the importance of this resource in future energy supply. The experience and knowledge gained will pave the way to a functioning hydrogen ecosystem in the Rhineland.