Green hydrogen plant opens in Denmark

Danish company European Energy put its first large-scale green hydrogen production facility into operation. At the same time, it is commissioning a green methanol plant. The renewables developer is also present in Southeastern Europe.

The green hydrogen unit is in Måde, near Esbjerg, the fifth-largest city in Denmark. Construction was completed in June, and the first electrolyzer, delivered by Danish company Stiesdal, is now operational.

European Energy said it would supply hydrogen to the Port of Esbjerg and a major client from the industrial gases sector.

The company plans to expand the facility with two additional electrolyzers. The second one is expected to be installed in 2025. When all three electrolyzers are in operation, the facility will have a total capacity of 12 MW and an expected annual production of 1,500 metric tons of hydrogen.

“With the start of operations at Måde, we can deliver green hydrogen to the market. This achievement demonstrates that the transformation of our energy systems is not just a distant vision – it’s happening right now,” said Knud Erik Andersen, CEO of European Energy.

The green hydrogen production facility will be powered by two wind turbines

European Energy has signed a balancing and optimization agreement with Centrica Energy, which will operate the wind power plant located at the same site as the facility.

The electrolyzers making green hydrogen will be powered by two wind turbines in the Måde wind turbine test center, which was also established by European Energy. It has 16 MW in capacity.

The excess heat generated from the hydrogen production process will be used by DIN Forsyning, the local district heating system operator, contributing to the city’s decarbonization. At the end of August, Denmark’s second-to-last coal power plant in Esbjerg was permanently shut down.

Green methanol production

The company said it is about to commission a green methanol plant in Kassø. The capacity is 32,000 tons per year. Among the clients is shipping giant Maersk, which last year introduced the world’s first cargo ship powered by methanol.

European Energy recently received a grant of over EUR 50 million from the European Union’s Innovation Fund for the construction of the second green methanol production facility in Denmark.

European Energy aims to produce 100,000 tons annually, which it estimates would prevent the emission of 150,000 tons of CO2 per year. Construction is expected to start in 2026, and the facility will become operational by 2029, the company said.

European Energy, established in 2004, operates in 28 countries

The company was founded in 2004. It operates in 28 countries, including in Southeastern Europe. European Energy recently received grid connection approvals for photovoltaic and wind projects across Romania with a combined capacity of about 500 MW. Its total development plan in the country now exceeds 1.5 GW from solar and wind.

In Greece, the company is developing 19 wind farm projects of 653 MW in total. They range from 16.8 MW to 48.3 MW in capacity.

Of note, Montenegrin electricity transmission system operator CGES and project firm EE Korita, based in Bijelo Polje, signed an agreement early this year on building the infrastructure necessary for connecting a proposed solar power plant to the transmission system.

Its envisaged peak capacity is 275 MW, and the proposed connection would be 240 MW. The Korita site is near the Serbian border. European Energy is the project’s developer.