Romania's Hidroelectrica plans 50 MW green hydrogen plant on Danube

Date: December 28^th 2021

Topic: Electricity , Renewables , Hydrogen

Romania’s largest power producer Hidroelectrica wants to build a 50 MW green hydrogen production unit and an adjacent solar farm with batteries on the Ostrovul Mare island located on the Danube River.

According to Romanian local media, Hidroelectrica is currently seeking a consultant that will help in the preparation of a feasibility study and other documentation needed to start the project.

Since the hydrogen plant will be developed near the 591 MW Iron Gate II hydropower plant located at the Romanian-Serbian border, the feasibility study will also analyse options to connect these two plants. This would enable green hydrogen production from water as a back-up option to using energy from a solar farm that will be built as part of the project. The optimal installed power of the solar farm will also be assessed as part of the feasibility study.

Hidroelectrica plans to start green hydrogen production from the 50 MW unit in 2026. It aims to produce 7,500 tonnes of green hydrogen annually and sell it at around EUR 4/kg.

This is not the only hydrogen project planned by the Romanian power utility, which also wants to build a 100 MW green hydrogen production unit in central Brasov County near the Olt River. This project also involves the construction of a solar farm with an installed capacity of at least 300 MW.

Meanwhile, Romania's gas TSO Transgaz it working on the transportation side of the hydrogen value chain, because it is interested in developing hydrogen-ready and low-carbon infrastructure projects.

For this purpose, Transgaz and the Three Seas Initiative Investment Fund will set up a joint company in Romania. The fund will provide funding for hydrogen and low carbon related projects, whose worth is estimated at EUR 626m. When developed, these projects will later be sold to Transgaz.

However, this decision must still be approved by Trangaz’s shareholders, who will also decide if the TSO will join the European Hydrogen Backbone initiative.