Linde Receives Funding Notice for New Electrolysis Plant in Leuna

At its Leuna site, Linde is planning an additional electrolysis plant for the production of sustainably generated hydrogen. The new facility is scheduled to go into operation by 2026. The project is supported by the “Sachsen-Anhalt ZUKUNFTSENERGIEN” program and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). Last week, Saxony-Anhalt’s Minister for Economic Affairs, Prof. Dr. Armin Willingmann, handed over the funding notice amounting to €4.3 million.

The planned production facility will generate hydrogen using renewable electricity and alkaline electrolysis. It is designed for a production capacity of 5 MW in addition to the existing 24 MW plant. With this, Linde aims to produce up to 450 tons of hydrogen annually from 2026 onwards. Through a pipeline connection, the hydrogen will be supplied to regional customers in the chemical industry, leading to savings of more than 4,500 tons of greenhouse gas emissions.

The “Sachsen-Anhalt ZUKUNFTSENERGIEN” program and the ERDF are intended to support investments by private and public companies in the intelligent integration of the electricity, gas, and heat sectors. Electricity from renewable sources is to be increasingly used for the production of green hydrogen or the provision of heat. According to Saxony-Anhalt’s Ministry of Energy, around 60 megawatts of electrolysis capacity are currently installed in the state. “Anyone who slows down the hydrogen ramp-up today risks industrial setbacks tomorrow,” said Minister Willingmann when presenting the funding notice.