360 Degree Tour of the H₂ Powerplant at Wilo

Heat exchanger

When hydrogen and oxygen are converted into electricity, heat is generated as a by-product. To ensure that this thermal energy is not wasted, heat exchangers come into play. They make it possible to use the otherwise wasted heat for either heat or cool a nearby factory building. The smart Wilo-Stratos MAXO pumps are the technical core element of the heat exchanger station.

95 electrolysers

A total of 95 electrolysers are available. Depending on the amount of surplus electricity, it is automatically decided how many of them will be used. In addition, it is taken care that the individual electrolysers are used evenly and in a way that is gentle on the material. Here too, automation is carried out manufacturer-independent: using EcoStruxure Automation Expert.

Schneider Electric

For industry, real estate, data centers and infrastructure, tech group Schneider Electric develops digitally networked field devices, control components, software solutions and services. Schneider Electric's declared business model is to make companies more sustainable. Schneider Electric employs around 130,000 people worldwide and generated sales of 34 billion euros in 2022. When it comes to automation, the French company relies on a vendor-independent and software-centric approach to automation.

How electrolysis works

A chemical process called electrolysis is used to produce green hydrogen. With the aid of electric current, the purified water is subjected to a so-called decomposition voltage. Two partial reactions take place: Oxygen is generated at the anode (-) and hydrogen is generated at the cathode (+). In this way, H2O becomes H2 and O2.

Automated load management

To make sure that a H2 Powerplant really works efficiently, smart and automated load management is needed. Depending on how much surplus electricity is available, it must be decided how many and which electrolysers are to be used. Vice versa, there must be automated control of how much electricity is generated at what time by the fuel cells and whether buffer energy from the batteries is needed. All information on the various energy flows can be viewed transparently on the display. The load management was automated with EcoStruxure Automation Expert from Schneider Electric.

Wilo Group

Wilo Group is a multinational technology group and one of the world’s leading premium suppliers of pumps and pump systems for building services, water management and the industrial sector. Wilo currently employs more than 8,200 people around the globe. With innovative solutions, smart products and individual services, Wilo makes water move using intelligent, efficient and eco-friendly techniques. With their products and solutions, processes and business models, Wilo is already a digital pioneer in the industry.

Human Machine Interface ▶

On the HMI, we can see all process stations and their orchestration at a glance. Even the control of the plant is done from here. Depending on the requirements, it is possible to switch between different views. For example, details on water treatment, electrolysis, or energy distribution can be viewed. The graphical representation is automatically generated by the engineering tool "EcoStruxure Automation Expert".

Low-Voltage Distribution

This is where protection and switching take place. Components from various manufacturers work together in the control cabinet. Schneider Electric is represented with its PrismaSeT switchgear and Acti9 circuit breakers.

Green hydrogen

Not only the tank is green, but also the hydrogen that’s stored in it. For its production, no climate-damaging CO2 emissions have to be generated. Instead, electric power is used to initiate a chemical reaction: Purified rainwater (H2O) is converted into oxygen (O2) and hydrogen (H2). As it is the case with this plant, green hydrogen is often used to store renewably generated energy.

Storing energy

Renewable electricity is often generated in a volatile manner. Sometimes the sun shines, sometimes not. Sometimes the wind blows, sometimes not. To achieve a local and temporal decoupling between generation and consumption, it makes sense to convert the generated electricity into a storable form of secondary energy – for example hydrogen. As seen here at Wilo, this is done as follows:  Collected rainwater is purified and pumped into the electrolyzers. There, a chemical reaction takes place that converts water into oxygen and hydrogen. The hydrogen is stored in the tank. If the stored energy is needed again, e.g. during periods of low power generation, the fuel cells can be used to generate electricity from oxygen and hydrogen. The heat that is generated during the chemical reactions is used by Wilo to air-condition the nearby factory building. This keeps the efficiency of the plant at a high level.

Vendor-independent Automation

You can't tell at first glance: In terms of automation, the plant is revolutionary! Instead of using proprietary control systems as usual, we work with a completely non-proprietary automation approach. Find out more in the containers!

Fuel cells

Using fuel cells, stored hydrogen is converted back into electricity. For this purpose, a chemical reaction involving an oxidant (oxygen) and fuel (hydrogen) takes place. Both reaction partners are continuously supplied via electrodes. In the process, the hydrogen molecules give up their electrons, while the remaining protons move through the electrolyte and react with the oxygen atoms. By this process, energy and water are generated.

Universal Automation ▶

Eine Dokumentation zum Thema herstellerunabhängige Automatisierung | Schneider ElectricHerstellerunabhängigkeit, statt proprietäre Systeme: Für die Automatisierung von wandelbaren und digital vernetzten Anlagen bieten sich heute völlig neue Möglichkeiten. In der Dokumentation „Neue Wege für die Automatisierung“ erklären Fachleute aus Industrie, Maschinenbau und Wissenschaft, wie ein herstellerunabhängiger und softwarezentrierter Automatisierungsansatz nach IEC61499 funktioniert – und welche Vorteile er bringt.

Water treatment

Electrolysis requires clean water with a conductivity more than 20 microsiemens. Therefore, here, on the left side of the container, the treatment of the collected rainwater takes place. The filtration process consists of softener, activated carbon filter, ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis, and ion exchanger. Afterward, the purified water is pumped to the electrolyzers.

Batteries

The power generation with fuel cells is not steadily. Voltage peaks or dips can occur. Therefore, batteries are needed to provide support in an emergency. When and how the buffer storage units are used is controlled automatically.

Energy Management

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360 Degree Tour of the H₂ Powerplant at Wilo
How to explore 
Follow the principle of green hydrogen production.
Sustainable Energymanagement
Water treatment and electrolysis in the upper container
Load management and fuel cells in the lower container
For automation experts: This is Universal Automation
Sustainable Energy Management
Back to the Starting Point
H₂ Powerplant automated with Universal Automation
This plant is located at the Wilo site in Dortmund. Here, electricity from renewable sources can be converted into green hydrogen without generating CO2 emissions. This makes it possible to store surplus energy, independent of consumption. 

A special feature of this plant is that it was automated with a vendor-independent automation approach that is based on the IEC 61499 standard. The EcoStruxure Automation Expert engineering tool from Schneider Electric is used for this purpose. This makes it possible to combine hardware from different manufacturers in an uncomplicated manner.
Points of Interest
Points of Interest
green hydrogen not only the tank is green, but also the hydrogen that’s stored in it. for its production, no climate-damaging co2 emissions have to be generated. instead, electric power is used to initiate a chemical reaction: purified rainwater (h2o) is converted into oxygen (o2) and hydrogen (h2). as it is the case with this plant, green hydrogen is often used to store renewably generated energy. Green hydrogen wilo group wilo group is a multinational technology group and one of the world’s leading premium suppliers of pumps and pump systems for building services, water management and the industrial sector. wilo currently employs more than 8,200 people around the globe. with innovative solutions, smart products and individual services, wilo makes water move using intelligent, efficient and eco-friendly techniques. with their products and solutions, processes and business models, wilo is already a digital pioneer in the industry. Wilo Group schneider electric for industry, real estate, data centers and infrastructure, tech group schneider electric develops digitally networked field devices, control components, software solutions and services. schneider electric's declared business model is to make companies more sustainable. schneider electric employs around 130,000 people worldwide and generated sales of 34 billion euros in 2022. when it comes to automation, the french company relies on a vendor-independent and software-centric approach to automation. Schneider Electric storing energy renewable electricity is often generated in a volatile manner. sometimes the sun shines, sometimes not. sometimes the wind blows, sometimes not. to achieve a local and temporal decoupling between generation and consumption, it makes sense to convert the generated electricity into a storable form of secondary energy – for example hydrogen. as seen here at wilo, this is done as follows:  collected rainwater is purified and pumped into the electrolyzers. there, a chemical reaction takes place that converts water into oxygen and hydrogen. the hydrogen is stored in the tank. if the stored energy is needed again, e.g. during periods of low power generation, the fuel cells can be used to generate electricity from oxygen and hydrogen. the heat that is generated during the chemical reactions is used by wilo to air-condition the nearby factory building. this keeps the efficiency of the plant at a high level. Storing energy vendor-independent automation you can't tell at first glance: in terms of automation, the plant is revolutionary! instead of using proprietary control systems as usual, we work with a completely non-proprietary automation approach. find out more in the containers! Vendor-independent Automation low-voltage distribution this is where protection and switching take place. components from various manufacturers work together in the control cabinet. schneider electric is represented with its prismaset switchgear and acti9 circuit breakers. Low-Voltage Distribution energy management Energy Management automated load management to make sure that a h2 powerplant really works efficiently, smart and automated load management is needed. depending on how much surplus electricity is available, it must be decided how many and which electrolysers are to be used. vice versa, there must be automated control of how much electricity is generated at what time by the fuel cells and whether buffer energy from the batteries is needed. all information on the various energy flows can be viewed transparently on the display. the load management was automated with ecostruxure automation expert from schneider electric. Automated load management batteries the power generation with fuel cells is not steadily. voltage peaks or dips can occur. therefore, batteries are needed to provide support in an emergency. when and how the buffer storage units are used is controlled automatically. Batteries fuel cells using fuel cells, stored hydrogen is converted back into electricity. for this purpose, a chemical reaction involving an oxidant (oxygen) and fuel (hydrogen) takes place. both reaction partners are continuously supplied via electrodes. in the process, the hydrogen molecules give up their electrons, while the remaining protons move through the electrolyte and react with the oxygen atoms. by this process, energy and water are generated. Fuel cells heat exchanger when hydrogen and oxygen are converted into electricity, heat is generated as a by-product. to ensure that this thermal energy is not wasted, heat exchangers come into play. they make it possible to use the otherwise wasted heat for either heat or cool a nearby factory building. the smart wilo-stratos maxo pumps are the technical core element of the heat exchanger station. Heat exchanger universal automation ▶ eine dokumentation zum thema herstellerunabhängige automatisierung | schneider electricherstellerunabhängigkeit, statt proprietäre systeme: für die automatisierung von wandelbaren und digital vernetzten anlagen bieten sich heute völlig neue möglichkeiten. in der dokumentation „neue wege für die automatisierung“ erklären fachleute aus industrie, maschinenbau und wissenschaft, wie ein herstellerunabhängiger und softwarezentrierter automatisierungsansatz nach iec61499 funktioniert – und welche vorteile er bringt. Universal Automation ▶ human machine interface ▶ on the hmi, we can see all process stations and their orchestration at a glance. even the control of the plant is done from here. depending on the requirements, it is possible to switch between different views. for example, details on water treatment, electrolysis, or energy distribution can be viewed. the graphical representation is automatically generated by the engineering tool "ecostruxure automation expert". Human Machine Interface ▶ 95 electrolysers a total of 95 electrolysers are available. depending on the amount of surplus electricity, it is automatically decided how many of them will be used. in addition, it is taken care that the individual electrolysers are used evenly and in a way that is gentle on the material. here too, automation is carried out manufacturer-independent: using ecostruxure automation expert. 95 electrolysers how electrolysis works a chemical process called electrolysis is used to produce green hydrogen. with the aid of electric current, the purified water is subjected to a so-called decomposition voltage. two partial reactions take place: oxygen is generated at the anode (-) and hydrogen is generated at the cathode (+). in this way, h2o becomes h2 and o2. How electrolysis works water treatment electrolysis requires clean water with a conductivity more than 20 microsiemens. therefore, here, on the left side of the container, the treatment of the collected rainwater takes place. the filtration process consists of softener, activated carbon filter, ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis, and ion exchanger. afterward, the purified water is pumped to the electrolyzers. Water treatment