Hydrogen Expansion in Switzerland

Axpo plans to use the hydropower of the Rhine to produce green hydrogen in the future. The production facility at the Eglisau-Glattfelden hydropower plant is the first of several plants that Axpo will be commissioning across Switzerland in the coming years.

The 2.5 megawatt hydrogen production facility at the Eglisau-Glattfelden power plant is expected to start operating in autumn 2022 and produce around 350 tons of green hydrogen annually. This saves over 1.5 million liters of diesel for road traffic.

If the demand for green hydrogen increases as expected, the plant can be expanded to 5 megawatts. With the direct connection of the production facility to the power plant, the climate-neutral production of hydrogen is ensured. Preparations for the regular approval process are starting these days.

Axpo had already pushed ahead with planning a hydrogen plant at the same power plant in 2015. However, the project was not pursued further when the hydrogen sales volume fell short of expectations. “Since then, the fight against climate change has become significantly more important and hydrogen has proven to be a suitable energy source for the decarbonization of mobility and industry,” says Guy Bühler, Head Hydrogen at Axpo.

Network of hydrogen filling stations under construction

The ecosystem for hydrogen in the field of mobility is currently being set up in Switzerland. To sell the hydrogen produced in the Eglisau-Glattfelden power plant, Axpo will work with Hydrospider AG, which will deliver the hydrogen directly from the production facility to the filling stations. There are already more than 50 trucks with fuel cells on the road across Switzerland. According to Hydrospider AG, there will be over 1,600 by 2026. The network of hydrogen filling stations is also expected to increase significantly – from currently six to around 50 in two years.

Green hydrogen is one of the most important climate-friendly energy sources, especially in the field of industry and mobility, and is a central component of the decarbonization strategies of many countries and, above all, of the EU. Axpo is striving to play a leading role in the transition to a CO2-free energy supply and has therefore set up a separate department within the Group for the hydrogen business area. Axpo aims to implement projects with a capacity of 5 megawatts by 2022. Further systems, such as those at the Eglisau-Glattfelden power plant, are in the planning stage.