Entega launches H2 project at waste-to-energy plant

05.08.2025

Source: E & M powernews

A new plant for the production of green hydrogen is being built at the waste-to-energy plant in Darmstadt. Entega has now awarded the technology contract for this.

The green energy and telecommunications service provider Entega from Darmstadt is starting construction of a 3 MW electrolyzer on the site of the waste-to-energy plant in the Hessian city of science. The company has awarded the contract for the technical equipment to "FEST GmbH" from Goslar following a Europe-wide tender. The plant manufacturer, which specializes in hydrogen technology, will supply and install the electrolyser, a compressor and a filling station for hydrogen trailers, among other things.

The partners plan to start construction of the plant in October this year. According to Entega, regular operation is planned for the first quarter of 2027. The project is being financed by the "DELTA" real-world laboratory, which is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi). The acronym stands for "Darmstadt Energy Laboratory for Technologies in Application" and is one of several real-world laboratories of the Energiewende.

The aim of the joint project is to test innovative energy and mobility solutions under real-life conditions using the example of urban districts. In Darmstadt, electricity, heat and gas grids, mobility services and hydrogen technologies are being linked for this purpose.

According to a press release from Entega, the waste-to-energy plant serves as a strategically chosen location: it offers the necessary infrastructure, for example for grid connections, safety precautions and trailer logistics. Entega operates the waste-to-energy plant on behalf of the owner - the Zweckverband Abfallverwertung Südhessen (ZAS) - and can seamlessly integrate the new hydrogen plant into the existing operation. This will create a community-based energy system that combines waste recycling, electricity generation and green hydrogen production.

The planned electrolyzer will use electricity from renewable sources. The aim is to produce around 310 tons of green hydrogen per year. This is to be used primarily in Darmstadt's public transportation system. According to the company, the quantity corresponds to the annual requirement of around 40 hydrogen-powered buses.

According to Entega's calculations, the substitution of diesel buses will save around 4,000 tons of CO2 per year. The hydrogen will mainly be delivered to the transport companies by trailer, where it will be refueled directly into the vehicles at the depots.

Author: Davina Spohn