Hydrogen | Uniper

Companies and communities across Europe have embarked on a decarbonization journey. Low- and zero-carbon hydrogen can make this journey possible. It can power vehicles, locomotives, and ships.

It can be injected into the gas network and subsequently used to generate electricity and heat homes. Finally, it can be combined with captured carbon dioxide to produce climate-neutral chemicals and green diesel and jet fuel.

All of these hydrogen applications will significantly reduce emissions. But using hydrogen and derivative fuels to decarbonize high-emission industries that are difficult or impossible to electrify will be the real game changer. Hydrogen is simply the only way to put industries like chemicals, steel, marine and air transport on a realistic path to carbon neutrality.

Uniper is a hydrogen pacesetter. Our two power-to-gas plants in northern Germany have shown in the past how surplus wind power can be used to run equipment that transforms water into zero-carbon hydrogen. We’re also collaborating with other companies to enable a European-wide hydrogen market ramp-up.

Import expert

For hydrogen to achieve its decarbonization potential in Europe, much of it will have to be imported. Uniper has been procuring gas worldwide — by pipeline and by ship — for decades. These activities and relationships provide a platform on which we can build a strong commercial position in the global hydrogen economy.

Our other energy sources

Gas - fast-track decarbonization

Alongside expanding renewables capacity, gas will continue to play an important role in decarbonizing economies worldwide. Take power generation. Converting from coal to gas would deliver immediate and dramatic carbon savings.

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Uniper engineer at work at a gas power station in Öresundsverket, Sweden

Hydro power - clean electricity from water

We’ve been producing zero-carbon power for over 125 years. Our first hydro plant, Höllriegelskreuth in southeast Germany, entered service in 1894.Today, we have 2 GW of hydro capacity in Germany. We also have 1.6 GW in Sweden.

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Wind and Solar - making our power portfolio even greener

In the past, Europe’s renewables growth was fueled almost entirely by subsidies. That has changed. In many countries wind and solar have achieved grid parity; that is, they can produce electricity at roughly the same cost as or less than other sources like gas.

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Image of solar panels in the foreground and wind turbines in the background

Hydrogen - the key to decarbonizing industry

Companies and communities across Europe have embarked on a decarbonization journey. Low- and zero-carbon hydrogen can make this journey possible. It can power vehicles, locomotives, and ships. It can be injected into the gas network and subsequently used to generate electricity and heat homes. Finally, it can be combined with captured carbon dioxide to produce climate-neutral chemicals and green diesel and jet fuel.

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Nuclear - zero-carbon mainstay of Northern Europe

At the end of 2022, Germany’s remaining nuclear power plants will split their last atoms. In Northern Europe, by contrast, nuclear energy is far less controversial. Uniper has 1.4 GW of attributable nuclear capacity in Sweden, which relies on nuclear energy for about 40% of its electricity.

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Uniper engineer working at a nuclear power plant at OKG, Sweden

Coal - making a fast exit

Some of Uniper’s deepest roots are in countries — Germany, Britain, and Russia — that had abundant coal reserves. They used them. To make steel, to generate electricity, to fuel prosperity. We’ve operated some of Europe’s biggest and best coal-fired power stations.

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