Groupe E’s green hydrogen production site, located at the foot of the Schiffenen dam, was inaugurated, the company announced.This plant is the first of this type in western Switzerland and is intended to contribute to the decarbonization of industry and transport. A pilot project in this regard is currently being carried out by Transports publics fribourgeois (TPF) and Groupe E.
The plant, which went into operation in August after less than a year of work, is the first industrial site for the production of green hydrogen in French-speaking Switzerland. The energy required for its operation is supplied by the doping turbine of the Schiffenen dam, which uses the electricity that comes from renewable energy and is generated as band energy for around 8,000 hours per year. Groupe E plans to produce a total of 300 tons of green hydrogen per year, with no CO2 emissions, equivalent to the consumption of around 50 buses or trucks. The total investment volume amounts to around CHF 9 million.
Covering an area of 2000 m2, the facility is located in an ideal location close to the A12 and A1 motorways. Schiffenen thus underlines its status as a stronghold for the production of CO2-free energy in the canton of Friborg. In addition to the dam, which was put into operation almost 50 years ago, and the facility inaugurated today, Groupe E plans to start building an underground hydroelectric power plant by 2030, fed by a tunnel that connects Lake Schiffenen and Lake Murten. This means an additional 100 GWh of electricity from a renewable and local energy source, which corresponds to the needs of over 20,000 households.
Photo of Groupe E
Press release https://is.gd/flSQJN
