Sweden's Project Air: Uniper Hires Sunfire to Construct a 30 MW Hydrolyzer
In a significant stride towards a greener industrial future, Uniper and Perstorp Group have announced the launch of "Project Air" in Sweden and Germany. This ambitious project is a decisive step towards breaking the fossil dependence of the chemical industry.
The project, of high interest to chemical industries globally, is scheduled to take place in Duesseldorf, Germany, on January 31, 2023. It is an industrial initiative aimed at transforming the chemical industry towards climate neutrality.
Uniper, through the Project Air, has commissioned Sunfire to build a 30 MW pressurized alkaline electrolyzer for the Swedish phase of the project. Thyssenkrupp has been commissioned to build a 30 MW electrolysis system for the Air project in Sweden.
The Project Air will see the construction of a Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU) plant in Stenungsund, Sweden, by Perstorp. This plant will convert carbon dioxide emissions and other residue streams, biogas, and renewable hydrogen to methanol. This sustainable methanol will be used for chemical manufacturing, marking a shift from fossil raw materials to circular production methods.
The project received support from the EU Innovation Fund to facilitate its groundbreaking technology. Nils Aldag, CEO of Sunfire, expressed pride in contributing their alkaline technology to the Project Air, stating it as a central pillar driving forward the European hydrogen strategy.
The electrolyzer will generate green hydrogen using renewable electricity and purified wastewater. This green hydrogen will be supplied to the CCU plant, contributing to the global effort towards climate protection, energy security, and job creation.
The Project Air, in collaboration with Sunfire, will also showcase the potential of green hydrogen as a master key for various sectors. The initiative is a collaborative effort between Uniper and Perstorp, with Sunfire being an excellent partner in this endeavour.
However, the final investment decision for the project is still pending. Regardless, the Project Air is poised to be a decisive step towards a green industrial transformation, making it a topic of great interest to industries worldwide.
