Uniper Calls for Capacity Distribution at German Hydrogen Terminal

Uniper SE has initiated an open season for a hydrogen import terminal project in Wilhelmshaven, Germany.

This terminal is expected to handle up to 2.6 million metric tons of ammonia annually, leading to the production of approximately 350,000 metric tons of hydrogen each year, as stated by Uniper. The ammonia will be converted on-site using a large-scale ammonia cracker to generate hydrogen that will be integrated into the German core hydrogen network.

In the first phase of the open season, market participants must express their interest in capacity and pay a participation fee, after which Uniper will confirm reservations.

"In the second phase, Heads of Terms will be issued to form the basis for the Terminal Use Agreement, which will be developed in collaboration with participating shippers," Uniper announced in a press release.

Signing the terminal use agreement will secure capacity for selected partners.

In addition to the ammonia terminal, Uniper plans to build a 1-gigawatt electrolysis plant at the Wilhelmshaven site, which will produce hydrogen by using wind energy to split water into hydrogen and oxygen.

Uniper notes that these terminal and electrolyzer projects could provide 10-20 percent of Germany's hydrogen demand by 2030 on its website.

Last year, Uniper and thyssenkrupp Uhde GmbH established a "framework agreement" for constructing commercial ammonia plants to support the scalable hydrogen import terminal in Wilhelmshaven.

This agreement allows Uniper to use thyssenkrupp Uhde's ammonia cracking technology for up to six plants with a total capacity of 7,200 metric tons of ammonia daily.

"The license package covers engineering, services, and the provision of essential equipment and catalysts," a joint statement noted on November 26, 2025.

"Uniper is currently advancing the pre-FEED (front-end engineering and design) for a commercial plant at its Wilhelmshaven location. This pre-FEED phase will determine the design foundation, clarify the project scope, assess its technoeconomic viability, and mitigate uncertainties and risks."

In another Wilhelmshaven initiative, Uniper and Slovenia’s NGEN energetske resitve d.o.o. have recently started construction on a 50-megawatt (MW) battery energy storage project at the site of Uniper’s former coal power plant.

"The battery energy storage system in Wilhelmshaven will help balance short-term power grid fluctuations caused by wind and solar energy integration in the future," a joint statement released on April 9, 2026, indicated. "This system will enhance the sustainable integration of renewable energy sources and support grid stability."

The partners anticipate that the project will be operational by the end of the year.

"The battery storage facility is part of Uniper's Energy Transformation Hub Nordwest (ETHNw) and marks the second project in Wilhelmshaven to enter the implementation phase, following the Voslapper Groden PV park," the statement added. "Within the ETHNw, Uniper aims to consolidate major projects to develop an integrated hydrogen infrastructure alongside renewable energy installations."

The solar project, located on the ash landfill of the former coal plant, is expected to produce around 17,500 MW hours annually, sufficient to power about 4,500 households, based on an average consumption of approximately 3,300 kilowatt hours per year, according to Uniper.

The commissioning of the solar project is targeted for the first half of 2026.