(Rostock-Laage) – The APEX Group will build an electrolysis plant with 2027 megawatts of power to produce green hydrogen in Rostock-Laage, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, by 100. The project is part of the East German hydrogen hub “doing hydrogen” and is supported with funds from the European IPCEI (Important Project of Common European Interest) funding, explains the company. The expected investment volume is around 199 million euros. The project start is planned for February 2023. According to the information, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection has now granted approval for the early start of construction.
Platform for the hydrogen economy
The aim of “doing hydrogen” is to build a platform for the hydrogen economy in East Germany “that connects innovative producers, gas network operators and large consumers”. In order to be able to transport the quantities of hydrogen produced southwards, other partners converted pipelines for hydrogen transport so that significant quantities could be transported from Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania to Thuringia from 2025, according to a statement.
In October 2022, the first hydrogen filling station for heavy goods traffic in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania went into operation in Rostock-Laage. In the presence of Gunnar Scholtz, head of East Germany at the logistics company DB Schenker (left), and the Minister for Economic Affairs, Infrastructure, Tourism and Labor MV, Reinhard Meyer (center), the managing director of the APEX Group, Peter Rößner (right), took part in the symbolic First refueling of a truck. The investment volume for the system amounts to around three million euros. © APEX Group
The electrolysis plant in Rostock-Laage has a production capacity of more than 7.500 tons of green hydrogen per year. The system is operated by the APEX Group itself. The company expects “recurring sales” of 45 million euros annually, based on an average selling price of six euros per kilogram; Currently, the sales prices for green hydrogen average around twelve euros per kilogram.
APEX “indirectly” on the stock exchange through takeover
The day before, the APEX Group announced that the Exceet Group SCA, an investment holding company that has been listed in the Prime Standard on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange since 2011, was acquiring all APEX shares. According to a corresponding agreement, APEX will receive around 87 million euros in fresh capital as part of the transaction. Of this, around 70 million euros would be used to realize the project pipeline of more than 1,7 gigawatts and around 17 million euros would be used to repay financial liabilities. APEX will continue to be led by the management around Managing Director Peter Rößner.
Exceet's main shareholder is the investment company Active Ownership (AOC), which has been buying, developing and selling companies since 2011 as part of a "buy & build" strategy, the company said. However, APEX will be “Exceet’s sole investment focus” in the future. AOC plans to “accompany APEX in the long term”.
Under the leadership of Roland Lienau, Exceet's supervisory board should be expanded to six members and include industry experts from the energy and hydrogen sectors, among others.
APEX project pipeline at 1,7 GW
APEX was founded in 2000 and has focused entirely on electrolysis systems since 2012. In its core business, APEX develops, builds and sells or operates green hydrogen production plants with a capacity of less than one gigawatt.
The company has been operating a grid-connected hydrogen plant in Rostock-Laage since 2020, the electrolysis capacity of which is to be increased from the current two megawatts to up to 2025 megawatts by 22. APEX's project pipeline currently includes around 50 projects with a total electrolysis capacity of more than 1,7 gigawatts (GW).
Location of the publicly funded “H2 Real Laboratories” project at the hydroelectric power station in Wyhlen. The handover of the electrolysis plant to Energiedienst AG is planned for February 2025. © APEX / Energy Service
APEX also operates the first hydrogen filling station for heavy goods vehicles in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. An electrolysis plant with a capacity of ten megawatts is currently being built on behalf of the energy companies EWE and SWB to reduce CO2 emissions at the ArcelorMittal steelworks in Bremen. In addition, a five megawatt electrolysis plant with a project volume in the double-digit million range is being implemented on behalf of Energiedienst AG (Rheinfelden), a subsidiary of the energy company EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg AG.
Photo above
Power-to-hydrogen and power-to-power plant with an electrolysis capacity of two megawatts at the APEX company location in Rostock-Laage. © APEX Group
