Cooperation for climate-friendly hydrogen project in the Canton of Aargau

The construction of a climate-friendly hydrogen production facility at the Wildischachen industrial area in Brugg (AG) is in planning. Axpo, Voegtlin-Meyer, IBB Energie AG (IBB) and the city of Brugg have signed a memorandum of understanding to this end. Axpo plans to deliver green hydrogen generated from domestic hydropower directly to the Voegtlin-Meyer filling station via a pipeline. The project will contribute to decarbonisation in the Swiss mobility sector. A decision by the local citizens of Brugg for the allocation of the property for construction is pending. 

Green hydrogen is one of the most climate-friendly energy sources, especially in the area of industry and mobility, and it is a key component to achieve the decarbonisation strategies of Switzerland and the EU. Axpo, as the largest producer of renewable energies in Switzerland, wants to play a leading role and is expanding in the area of hydrogen with the project. The project foresees a hydrogen production facility designed with an installed capacity of up to 15 MW. The plant will produce about 2000 tonnes of green hydrogen per year by means of electrolysis. The power required for production will come entirely from the near-by Wildegg-Brugg hydropower plant. The production facility is directly connected to the power plant and, thus ensures climate neutral hydrogen production. The power plant is owned to 100% by Axpo.

Reducing CO₂ emissions in the mobility sector

The produced hydrogen will be delivered to Voegtlin-Meyer’s local filling station, and also sold to other filling stations in the region. Voegtlin-Meyer plans to make the green hydrogen available to private consumers. In addition, the hydrogen will be used to power buses operated by PostAuto AG. The produced volume is sufficient to power about 300 trucks, Post buses or other buses for a year.

The project makes an important contribution to the reduction of CO₂ emissions in the mobility sector.

Renewable energies for industrial neighbours

IBB will take over project planning for the pipeline connecting the Wildischachen production facility to the filling station. In a further step, the company plans to use the waste heat produced by means of electrolysis and make this energy available to industry in the Wildischachen area in a heat network.

Central location in the industrial area in Brugg

The plant will be built on a plot, which belongs to the citizens of Brugg, in the Wildischachen industrial area. The location is ideally suited owing to its central location close to the Axpo Wildegg-Brugg power plant and the Voegtlin Meyer filling station. The citizens of Brugg will decide on the allocation of the property for construction in December 2021. If the decision is positive, Axpo will launch preparations for the building permit application. Commissioning of the plant and hydrogen delivery to the Post bus fleet is planned for the end of 2023.