Energy generation technology has its boundaries. Today, with the increased costs behind fossil fuels, companies are investing millions to push beyond these boundaries and come up with something more sustainable. One such company is Enertrag.

Enertrag has constructed a power plant which provides around the clock energy with virtually no carbon footprint.The power plant was launched in 2010 and what’s more, to add to the project, they will be opening the worlds first “CO2-neutral” filling station in the centre of Berlin towards the end of this year.

So, how does this “hybrid power plant” work? Its a relatively simple idea which incorporates various electricity and heat generation technologies. The process begins with wind energy.

The energy within the wind is harnessed through regular wind turbines. The electricity produced during this process is sent directly to the electricity network, as it is in any other wind farm. As we all know, electricity demand and wind do not always go hand in hand.

On this particular windfarm, excess electricity from the wind turbines is sent to a hydrogen generator which separates hydrogen from water and sends it to storage tanks.

This stored hydrogen is sent through mixing valves where it mixes with biogas (produced naturally through fermentation of biomass materials) and the product is burned in a combined heat and power station. The electricity produced in this station goes into the electricity grid at times of low wind and the heat is delivered to the local residential district.

Hydrogen which is not sent to the mixing valves, is distributed to the filling station in Berlin.

This project is a testament to what is possible in our world today and is a good example of what Ireland can do with its large amounts of wind energy.

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