The main component of the new hydrogen production and refueling station at the Port of Klaipėda in Lithuania – the electrolyzer – has passed factory tests in Italy, marking a key milestone in the project.
The station, which is expected to start operating next year, will house a polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) type electrolyzer, being manufactured at the IMI Remosa plant in Cagliari, Italy.
When operating at full capacity, about 127 tonnes of green hydrogen are anticipated to be produced annually, part of which is set to be used to power the first vessel in the country driven by green hydrogen, currently nearing completion.
As disclosed, the company, which won the public tender announced by the Klaipėda Port Authority, is slated to complete construction by the end of the year. Port of Klaipėda said that once the site is finished, the installation and testing of hydrogen equipment will follow. All construction and installation works are scheduled for completion by February 2026.
Algis Latakas, General Director of Klaipėda State Seaport Authority, commented: “Successfully completing the factory tests of the green hydrogen electrolyzer is a major step forward for Klaipėda Port in its plans to produce, use and supply clean fuels. This milestone brings us much closer to finishing a unique project in the region and reducing our environmental footprint. The Port Authority and its partners have ensured the core systems of the green hydrogen base work flawlessly, allowing the project to stay on track. The equipment will be shipped to Klaipėda Port for installation and on-site testing. We plan to begin producing clean fuels next year.”
To note, this hydrogen station project is being implemented under the Economic Recovery and Resilience Plan Next Generation Lithuania, funded by the European Union’s NextGenerationEU recovery and resilience facility. The total estimated cost is said to be around €12 million, with around €6 million financed by EU funds.