Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) has teamed up with Friesen Elektra Green Energy AG to launch Project Anker, a green hydrogen production facility in Sande, Lower Saxony, Germany. The project will start with an electrolysis capacity of 400 MW, with plans to double that to 800 MW in the future, producing up to 80,000 tonnes of green hydrogen each year.
Located near Wilhelmshaven, a key energy and industrial hub, and close to Germany’s planned hydrogen core network, Project Anker is well-positioned to support industries like steel and chemicals, as well as transport.
The facility aims to replace fossil fuels with green hydrogen, potentially reducing CO2 emissions by 2.4 million tonnes annually—roughly equal to the emissions from 340,000 households.
The hydrogen production will be powered by renewable energy from wind and solar sources. Speaking about the project, Felix Pahl, Partner at CIP, said, “Project Anker has the potential to make an important contribution to Germany’s journey towards a carbon-neutral future. We remain committed to investments in large-scale renewable infrastructure solutions to decarbonise energy-intensive industries.”
Beyond its environmental benefits, Project Anker is expected to boost the local economy in Lower Saxony, creating jobs and supporting community development.
The project is backed by CIP’s Energy Transition Fund I, the largest greenfield green hydrogen fund globally. The fund oversees a portfolio of Power-to-X projects with around 6.5 GW of electrolysis capacity under development worldwide.
Germany has set ambitious goals for green hydrogen. By 2030, it plans to have at least 10 gigawatts of electrolysis capacity to produce green hydrogen. This is part of a broader strategy to achieve climate neutrality by 2045.
Several projects are contributing to these goals. For example, the GET H2 Nukleus project aims to build a 300 MW electrolyser in Lingen, Lower Saxony, to supply green hydrogen to industrial customers.
