(30 October, 2020, Oslo) Nel Hydrogen Electrolyser AS, a subsidiary of ASA (Nel, OSE:NEL) and Statkraft AS (Statkraft) have signed a letter of intent (LoI) for the delivery of 40 – 50 MW of alkaline electrolysers to support green steel production by Celsa Armeringsstål AS (Celsa) at Mo Industripark in Norway.
"Through our electrolyser scale-up program we have not only identified ways to manufacture our alkaline electrolysers more efficiently, we have also identified a number of measures which can be implemented to improve the electrolyser performance even beyond today’s industry leading standard. There is no better way of demonstrating such improvements than through realizing an actual large-scale project, and we are very proud that the leading energy company Statkraft wants to work together with us on this," says Jon André Løkke, CEO of Nel.
Nel and Statkraft have signed a Letter of Intent to develop a large-scale electrolyser plant of 40-50MW, with superior performance compared to today’s solutions. The green hydrogen produced by the plant will be used in a production process of steel reinforcing products as an alternative to fossil fuels, and hence lower the carbon footprint of the process.
"We’re happy to be involved in such an important project, where we can start building hydrogen as an important future business-line for Norway and Statkraft and cut CO2-emissions from the Norwegian industry significantly, by utilizing our renewable power. As a development project, it will require support for technology development and commercialisation to be realised. The project is well positioned for the so-called ‘Important projects of common European interest’ program in the EU, and will support Norway’s hydrogen efforts going forward,” says Bjørn Holsen, Head of New Business at Statkraft
Statkraft is together with Celsa and Mo Industry park planning to establish a complete value chain for green hydrogen for industrial use in a high temperature process where the end-product is reinforced steel. Today, this process leads to annual CO2-emissions of approximately 100,000 tons/year, and through introducing green hydrogen in the process, emissions can potentially be reduced by 60%. The project is targeted for operation by end of 2023. The parties have also identified a number of other industrial opportunities for green hydrogen in the Industry park, and have the intention to increase the electrolyser capacity in a number of steps towards 2030.
