Minister President Hendrik Wüst Gives Green Light for Gas and Steam Turbine Power Plant "Scholven 1" in Gelsenkirchen

Press Release – Uniper SE, June 27, 2024 (Translation by deepl.com)

Minister President Hendrik Wüst Gives Green Light for Uniper’s Gas and Steam Turbine Power Plant "Scholven 1" in Gelsenkirchen

Hendrik Wüst, Minister President of North Rhine-Westphalia, officially gave the go-ahead today for Uniper’s new gas and steam turbine power plant (GuD plant) "Scholven 1" in Gelsenkirchen. With a capacity of approximately 140 megawatts (MW), the plant will generate process steam, district heating, and electricity for industries and other customers in the region. The power plant will significantly reduce CO₂ emissions in the Ruhr area, along with lowering other pollutants and noise emissions from the overall facility.

During the ceremonial event, Minister President Hendrik Wüst emphasized:
"A climate-friendly energy and heat supply that is both secure and affordable is a fundamental prerequisite for maintaining the economic strength of North Rhine-Westphalia. With its new, highly modern, and efficient gas and steam turbine power plant Scholven 1, Uniper is making an important contribution toward this goal while also marking the starting point for the future-oriented development of the entire Gelsenkirchen-Scholven power plant site."

Michael Lewis, CEO of Uniper, stated:
"Today's event surrounding the new gas and steam turbine power plant is a major milestone for the Scholven site and for Uniper as a whole. Scholven now provides a platform for future hydrogen-based projects. At the same time, the site's further development represents a key step in implementing our strategy: by 2030, 80 percent of our generation capacity will be CO₂-neutral. It is projects like this that make our strategy tangible and real."

Scholven's Transformation from Coal to Gas and Hydrogen

The new GuD plant lays the foundation for the coal phase-out at the Scholven site. It consists of:

• Two gas turbines
• A steam turbine
• Two waste heat steam generators
• A gas-fired steam boiler

With a capacity of 140 MW and 3x100 t/h of fresh steam, the plant will supply district heating, industrial steam, and electricity to Uniper customers in the region via connected heat and power networks.

However, the switch from coal to gas is just the first step in the transformation. A hydrogen-ready power plant is being considered, allowing for a transition from natural gas to hydrogen over time. To accommodate new, future-proof projects at Scholven, available space needs to be created by dismantling existing facilities. The deconstruction process has already begun, starting with Block F, with further units to follow.

Uniper still operates two coal-fired power plant units (Scholven B and C) at the site, which have been classified as "system-relevant" by the Federal Network Agency (BNetzA) for grid security. These units can be activated by the transmission system operator Amprion as needed for grid stabilization.

The final commissioning of "Scholven 1" will take place once the last expert inspections and required documentation have been completed. Uniper aims to exit coal-fired power generation by 2029.

About Uniper

Uniper is an international energy company headquartered in Düsseldorf, operating in more than 40 countries. With approximately 7,000 employees, the company plays a crucial role in ensuring Europe's energy supply security, particularly in Germany, the UK, Sweden, and the Netherlands.

Uniper’s operations include:

• Power generation in Europe
• Global energy trading
• A broad natural gas portfolio, including liquefied natural gas (LNG)
• Managing gas storage facilities with a capacity of over 7 billion cubic meters

Uniper aims to become completely CO₂-neutral by 2040. By 2030, the company plans to use over 80% of its installed power capacity for CO₂-free electricity generation. This transformation involves modernizing its power plants, investing in flexible and predictable power generation assets, and expanding renewable energy sources like solar and wind power.

Uniper is also gradually integrating green gases such as hydrogen and biomethane into its gas portfolio, with the long-term goal of full decarbonization.

As a trusted partner for municipalities, utilities, and industrial companies, Uniper supports the planning and implementation of innovative CO₂-reducing solutions. As a pioneer in hydrogen, Uniper is active worldwide across the entire hydrogen value chain, developing projects to make hydrogen a key pillar of the future energy supply.