Towards the end of last year, the German multinational E.ON opened its “power-to-gas” facility in Falkenhagen, which is located in the east of the country. This innovative project involves the industrial-scale injection of hydrogen into the natural-gas system. This facility uses wind energy to power the electrolysis that converts water into hydrogen (H2), which is then injected into the gas distribution network in the region. The aim of this initiative is to reduce the need to stop the wind turbines when electricity grids are saturated. This project links in with what gas companies are doing in Holland, enriching natural gas with hydrogen in order to increase its calorific value. Contrary to opinions that question the safety of such a mixture, it should be remembered that manufactured city gas contained a much higher percentage of hydrogen than natural gas.
