First Electrolyser Stacks Arrive for REFHYNE 2 in Wesseling

They form the technological heart of REFHYNE 2 and will be where renewable hydrogen is produced: the arrival of the first electrolyser stacks marks another milestone for the hydrogen project at the Shell Energy and Chemicals Park Rheinland. These components use electricity from renewable sources to produce hydrogen from water. The hydrogen will be used in production processes at the site. The first 14 of a total of 150 stacks have now arrived in Wesseling, with further deliveries scheduled over the coming months.

“The arrival of the first electrolyser stacks marks another milestone for REFHYNE 2,” said Marijn Bezuijen, Senior Project Manager Transformation at the Shell Energy and Chemicals Park Rheinland. “The delivery marks the transition from construction towards the eventual commissioning of the plant. We are now entering the home stretch of this transformation project, which is so important for the site.”

The electrolyser stacks are the plant’s core components. They use proton exchange membrane (PEM) technology and electricity generated from renewable sources to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen is then treated and fed into the site’s existing hydrogen network, where it will help reduce the carbon intensity of operations and products.

At full capacity, the 100 MW REFHYNE 2 plant is expected to produce up to 16,000 tonnes of renewable hydrogen annually, depending on the availability of renewable energy. The plant is expected to begin operating during 2027. Together with the 10 MW REFHYNE 1 electrolyser, which opened in 2021, the two facilities will make a significant contribution to supplying the site’s production processes with hydrogen generated from renewable energy.

From Sheffield to Wesseling

The stacks are manufactured by ITM Power in Sheffield, UK. Before shipment, each unit undergoes extensive testing and acceptance procedures. Deliveries will take place in several batches over the coming months. The first shipment comprises 14 stacks, which will initially be stored and thoroughly inspected before being fitted into the electrolyser modules already installed at the site. The highly specialised components are delivered in purpose-built transport frames that protect the sensitive equipment throughout its journey and will be reused for subsequent deliveries.

A Building Block of the Transformation

The arrival of the first stacks highlights progress on the project, which is being delivered by Linde as general contractor and ranks among Europe’s largest PEM electrolysers. The plant will also provide valuable experience in manufacturing, integrating and operating electrolysers at an industrial scale.

The electrolyser is part of the wider transformation of the Shell Energy and Chemicals Park Rheinland. Alongside REFHYNE 2, Shell is investing in projects including the conversion of the former crude oil processing facilities at Wesseling into a base oil plant, as well as bio-LNG production, which began in 2024. The transformation aims to secure the site’s long-term future and progressively reduce CO₂ emissions from both its operations and the products manufactured there.