Enabling 100,000 tonnes of green hydrogen annually

By Alexandra Angelbratt, Head of Hydrogen, RES

At RES, we believe in a world where everyone has access to affordable zero carbon energy.  Green hydrogen is necessary to reach that world and we want to accelerate its deployment.

Complementing renewable electricity, green hydrogen will be a solution in decarbonising several of the ‘hard to abate’ challenges in our energy and industrial systems.

Driven by robust standards, the roll-out of new hydrogen production capacity needs to be as close to zero carbon as possible. And to create switching incentives for end-users, it must be as low cost as possible. Green hydrogen, produced by electrolysis of water using renewable electricity, can deliver on both carbon and cost. The roll-out must be kick-started now. Reaching scale early will deliver rewards in carbon reduction and economic growth.

RES has been active in green hydrogen for a number of years now. Through our partnerships and our collective expertise, we’re helping decarbonise industry by developing and operating green hydrogen plants fuelled by clean, renewable energy.

The power of partnerships

Since 2021, we have been working together with Ånge Municipality in Sweden to transform their municipality into a green energy hub. Working together, we aim to supply green hydrogen to industry and accelerate the energy transition, utilising available grid capacity.

Over recent years the area has struggled from the loss of local industry, vital to maintaining a thriving population and community. However, the area has huge potential and the people of Ånge are passionate about working with their natural resources to create a clean energy future that will help the community thrive once more.

Working with the municipality, we are developing two hydrogen plants in Ånge Municipality – one in Alby and a second in Ljungaverk. The facilities will be expanded in stages with phase one coming online in 2027 and phase two with a new electricity connection to enable a larger hydrogen plant by 2028.

Once complete the facilities will have a combined installed capacity of 600MW and the ability to produce 100,000 tonnes of green hydrogen annually. To put this into context, the hydrogen produced could cover most of the electricity needs of three cities the size of Sundsvall which has around 100,000 inhabitants. Another comparison is that if the annual hydrogen production in Ånge were to be used as vehicle fuel, it would be enough to drive 950 million miles per year or 237,500 laps around the world.

A green hub for growth

We see this project as a catalyst for industrial growth in the community and the heart of an emerging green industrial cluster. Conditions such as available land, good access to transport, locally produced green electricity in an area with low electricity prices, process water and green hydrogen, make the Ånge Municipality a very attractive area for new industries. As more industries move into the region, more jobs are created. It is expected that up to 300 jobs will be directly and indirectly created through these projects and the positive impact to the community.

What’s more, by creating a green industrial cluster, as is the case for Alby, this enables the use of hydrogen as well as residual products such as heat and oxygen by other industries at site. This is a new, innovative energy efficient system that adds value in the same region where the energy is created.

At the forefront of innovation

Sweden’s energy needs are predicted to increase significantly and continued investment in green energy is needed. By combining wind power, solar energy and energy storage, a stable, green electricity supply can be ensured.

Ånge municipality is a good example of this. Working together with Ellevio, an electricity network operator in Sweden, we have enabled the expansion of the Tovåsen main grid station – and the renewable energy cluster that has emerged in the Ånge region. Tovåsen enabled the expansion of wind and solar power, which in turn enables the expansion of green hydrogen.

We believe that this project puts Sweden firmly on the map as a pioneering country – with Ånge at the forefront. This innovative and sustainable use of local resources in collaboration with local communities is a demonstration of the RES vision in action, creating a future where everyone has access to affordable zero carbon energy.

Watch our video to find out more about this project and to hear directly from the project team, the municipality officials and the community members about the benefits this project will bring to Ånge.