PoWerD– Atlas for Suitable Electrolyzer Locations in Germany

The »PoWerD« project is driving forward the expansion of power-to-hydrogen (PtH2) plants, i.e. electrolyzers. A consortium of research institutions, universities and industry will provide a freely accessible online atlas of potentially suitable sites for electrolyzers from April 2025. This is intended to support companies in their search for sites for electrolysers and provide hydrogen plant project developers with a simple planning tool.

The appropriate location is of central importance for the development of power-to-hydrogen plants, as local conditions have a strong impact on their economic and ecological potential. For example, the availability of low-cost green electricity, the customer structure for the purchase of the hydrogen produced, or the usability of additional by-products generated during hydrogen production are important decision-making criteria.

In PoWerD, the local conditions are examined with regard to the optimized selection of sites for electrolyzers, taking into account various aspects such as

• the use of renewable energy potentials in Germany
• potential consumers of hydrogen
• current and future hydrogen infrastructure
• easing the load on the power grid
• the use of by-products (heat and oxygen)

By enabling targeted and optimized site selection, the project thus makes a significant contribution to improving the economic efficiency of power-to-hydrogen plants.

The overarching goal of the project is the nationally comprehensive visualization of practical electrolyzer sites. The atlas is to contain representations in the form of maps (Webatlas)
from which the potential for the construction of power-to-hydrogen plants in different scenarios and business models can be ascertained. These maps will be freely accessible on the internet and can subsequently be used by companies (e.g., future electrolyzer operators and plant operators and installers) to identify suitable plant locations.

The atlas will be published in April 2025.