CIP launches 800MW green hydrogen project in Northern Germany

Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP), through its Energy Transition Fund (CI ETF I), and Friesen Elektra Green Energy AG (Friesen Elektra) have initiated project Anker, a green hydrogen production facility in Sande, Germany. The project is scheduled to have an electrolysis capacity of 400 MW with plans to expand the capacity to 800 MW at a later stage.

Project Anker is strategically located near Wilhelmshaven, an important energy and industrial hub, and near the future German hydrogen core network. It is projected to produce 80,000 tons of green hydrogen annually which will benefit key German industries, including steel and chemicals, as well as the transport sector. The project will bolster the regional economy in Lower Saxony by creating new jobs, and growth and fostering active community engagement.

Project Anker will be powered by renewable energy from the grid, supported by offshore and onshore wind, as well as solar energy. By substituting fossil fuels with green hydrogen, the project can reduce CO₂ emissions by up to 2.4 million tons annually, equivalent to approximately 340,000 households.

CIP Group headquarters in the Federal Republic of Germany.

“Project Anker has the potential to make an important contribution to Germany’s journey towards a carbon-neutral future. At CIP, we continue to see a large potential in green hydrogen despite slower-than-expected market development. We remain committed to investments in large-scale renewable infrastructure solutions to decarbonize energy-intensive industries. We look very much forward to bringing the project to realization together with our new partners at Friesen Elektra and to a constructive collaboration with the German authorities.” said Felix Pahl, Partner at CIP.

“We are delighted to welcome CIP and its highly skilled, experienced team as a strategic investor and development partner in our Hydrogen Park Friesland. This collaboration is a major step towards creating one of Germany’s premier hydrogen production sites. Together, we aim to accelerate the energy transition and advance decarbonization by leveraging our combined strengths and expertise,” said Christian Gätje, CFO of Friesen Elektra.

CIP’s Energy Transition Fund I (CI ETF I) is the largest dedicated greenfield green hydrogen fund worldwide. CI ETF I has built a market-leading portfolio of Power-to-X projects, with around 6.5 GW of electrolyzer capacity in its development portfolio globally.

CIP has been present in Vietnam since 2019 with the flagship 3.5GW La Gan project and an early-stage development portfolio of more than 10GW of other offshore wind projects across northern and southern Vietnam.

The 3.5GW La Gan wind power project in the waters of Binh Thuan province will provide enough energy to power more than 7 million households in Vietnam. With a construction cost of more than USD 12 billion in three phases, of which more than 44% will be directly invested in Vietnamese businesses and workforce (with an estimated 40% from local sources), the project is expected to create more than 45,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs, including both manual and intellectual workers.

In addition, CIP is also in the early stages of developing its onshore and nearshore wind power portfolio in Vietnam.

The CIP Vietnam team has grown from 2 to 27 people, covering various fields. With 26 local Vietnamese employees, it operates in two offices in both northern and southern Vietnam.

About Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners

Founded in 2012, Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners P/S (CIP) is today the world’s largest dedicated fund manager for greenfield renewable energy investments and a global leader in offshore wind.

The funds managed by CIP focus on investments in offshore and onshore wind, solar PV, biomass and energy-from-waste, transmission and distribution, reserve capacity, storage, advanced bioenergy, and Power-to-X.

CIP manages 12 funds and has to date raised approximately EUR 31 billion for investments in energy and associated infrastructure from more than 180 international institutional investors. CIP has approximately 500 employees and 12 offices around the world, including Vietnam./.