At the energy park Bad Lauchstädt in Saxony-Anhalt green hydrogen has been produced for the first time. Project partner VNG announced this on 10 November 2026. According to the energy company involved, Uniper production had already begun a few days earlier. This marks an initial milestone, but regular supplies to industrial customers have not yet started.
The plant uses electricity from a connected wind farm to produce hydrogen. An electrolyser uses it to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. According to the project partners, the electrolyser has a capacity of 30 megawatts and consists of three modules. The wind farm has an installed capacity of around 50 megawatts. These figures refer to the capacity of the facilities, not the amount of hydrogen produced.
The next step is to test how the different parts of the system work together: from electricity generation through electrolysis and gas processing to its transport. VNG plans to complete commissioning of the entire system in 2027. The first evidence of production does not, therefore, mean that continuous operations have been established.
The intended customer is the refinery operated by TotalEnergies in nearby Leuna . The hydrogen is to be delivered there via a pipeline around 25 kilometres long, which was previously used for natural gas and has been converted. According to the project partners, deliveries of around 3,000 tonnes are planned for 2027. Whether the planned amount is actually supplied will also depend on the outcome of further testing and commissioning.
The project links several stages needed for industrial supply. As well as production, this includes transport infrastructure. The converted pipeline gives the project partners a route to the chemical industry site; reliable supply will also depend on the technical components working together and the hydrogen meeting the required quality standards.
Uniper and VNG are jointly responsible for constructing and operating the electrolyser. According to the companies, the project partners are investing a total of 210 million euros in the energy park, including 44 million euros in federal funding. Construction of the electrolyser began in June 2023. According to MDR, production had originally been scheduled for 2025, but the project was delayed.
For hydrogen economy Alongside the technology, economic viability remains crucial. MDR points to high production costs. Uniper also says, according to the German Press Agency, that more customers and reliable conditions are needed for the long-term conversion of industrial production. The energy park can now demonstrate how the combination of wind power, hydrogen production and industrial demand performs in operation. The first production alone is not enough to draw conclusions about the results of these trials.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).