Hydrogen production pipeline at ground level

Boxberg Power-to-X project, Germany

Developing innovative ways towards a resilient and green energy future

As the energy sector transitions towards sustainable solutions, LEAG, Germany’s second largest power producer, recognised the necessity of developing innovative ways to store and utilise renewable energy.

Faced with the challenge of managing electricity surpluses from solar and wind sources while ensuring a stable power supply, LEAG aimed to create a flexible, future-proof solution. This led to the inception of their ambitious GigawattFactory project1 , featuring a pioneering Power-to-X (PtX) plant at the Boxberg power plant site in Saxony, Germany.

LEAG partners with AFRY to optimise a visionary PtX plant

LEAG chose AFRY as its technical partner to realise this visionary project, leveraging AFRY’s extensive expertise in renewable energy and environmental planning. As part of the broader Hydrogen Unit and Battery (H2UB) Boxberg project, a hydrogen power plant (H2PP) will enable the storage of excess electricity from renewable sources, converting it into green hydrogen through an electrolysis process. Reconversion into electricity will take place with up to 120 MW electrical capacity.

This green hydrogen will be stored and later reconverted into electricity by a 10 MW fuel cell plant during peak demand periods or transported to external customers via rail or trucks. Additionally, the H2PP will integrate seamlessly with an on-site battery storage facility, further enhancing its flexibility and efficiency.

H2UB Boxberg 3D Modell

AFRY provided comprehensive support from concept optimisation to permit applications, and tendering processes. Our services included:

  • Concept Optimisation: Pre-planning and design to refine the project blueprint. We optimised the plant concept through process simulations and technology evaluations, ensuring cost-effective and efficient solutions.
  • Regulatory Compliance: Preparing and submitting a permitting application under stringent German regulations.
  • EPC Tendering: drafting the technical components of an Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contract and tender document to attract international bidders and expertise.
  • EPC Selection: dealing with bidders’ clarification requests during bidding phase, evaluation of incoming bids and assisting client during negotiations with preferred bidders.

AFRY’s in-depth knowledge and hands-on experience ensured that the project adhered to high standards of sustainability and technological advancement.

With experienced and global partners like AFRY, we are well positioned to successfully realise our forward-looking plan to make green electricity base-load capable and therefore available around the clock. Together with AFRY, we are working on solutions to combine technologies from the fields of hydrogen, electricity generation and electricity storage and put them into practice on a large scale.

 – Daniel Kosel, Head of Project Development at LEAG

As part of the broader H2UB (Hydrogen Unit and Battery) Boxberg initiative, this project exemplifies our commitment to driving the energy transition. Working alongside LEAG, we are proud to contribute to a resilient and green energy future, ensuring reliable and sustainable power for generations to come.

Hydrogen
Innovative power storage
Based on our work on the Jänschwalde project, LEAG has reaffirmed its trust in AFRY and confirmed us as technical consultant for the Boxberg H2 power project.
Afry_webinar_power-to-x

Power-to-X consulting and engineering

At AFRY, we think that Power-to-X will be a critical component of future power systems and a crucial part of the energy transition and decarbonisation of energy.

Footnotes

  • 1. https://www.leag.de/en/gigawattfactory/ Visit the LEAG gigawattfactory website for more information. a↩