Uniper initiated the transition to a more climate-friendly energy supply, as described in its new company strategy recently presented. The company has set itself the goal of reducing CO 2 emissions in the European generation segment from 22 million tons today to net-zero emissions by 2035. Uniper already produces around 24 terawatt hours of carbon-free electricity with its hydroelectric and nuclear power plants in Germany and Sweden. Under its new strategy it now intends to gradually increase the share of “green” gas or “green hydrogen” in its conventional gas business, in both power generation and energy trading.

Uniper is a pioneer in the use of power-to-gas technology, which makes “green hydrogen” possible, having been one of the first to implement such kind of projects. The company has already built the first power-to-gas plant in Falkenhagen in 2013, followed by another one in Hamburg in 2015. Uniper added a methanisation plant to the Falkenhagen plant in 2018. In addition, Uniper is pushing forward cross-sector industrial projects together with refineries and the automotive industry with various real-life laboratory projects, which could make it possible to enter hydrogen production at market conditions in the near future.

Siemens and Uniper have been partners for many years in integrated products, solutions and services along the entire energy value chain. In addition, the companies share a pioneering role in power-to-gas plants in which hydrogen or methane are produced from renewable energies. Power-to-gas plants can provide a technical answer to one of the key questions of the energy revolution: How can the fluctuating energy sources sun and wind be stored and thus made plannable? The aim of this cooperation is to contribute to improving the economic efficiency and thus the marketability of power-to-gas plants.

Uniper CEO Andreas Schierenbeck says: “After the coal phase-out and the switch to a secure gas-based energy supply, the use of climate-friendly gas will be a major step towards successful energy system transformation; therefore, the decarbonization of the gas industry, including gas-fired power generation, is essential if Germany and Europe are to achieve their climate targets. We are ready to invest and have set the strategic course to significantly accelerate the decarbonization of our portfolio. In doing so, it is important to bundle energies, act openly in terms of technology, and work with proven high-technology partners like Siemens.”