At the Green Hydrogen Hub Stuttgart (GH2S) in the Stuttgart harbour, four electrolysers will be controlled by AI-supported software in the future. The Stadtwerke Stuttgart (SWS) and the Centre for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Württemberg (ZSW) have launched the joint project "SCH2EDULIZER" for this purpose. The goal is to economically optimise the operation of the electrolysers while considering fluctuating electricity markets and regulatory requirements for green hydrogen.
Software links electrolysis, storage, and electricity market
The software uses optimisation methods for electrolysers and battery storage and incorporates current mechanisms of the energy markets. According to the project partners, high-purity green hydrogen is to be produced precisely when renewable electricity is particularly cheaply available on the energy market. Battery storage is to dynamically feed electricity as soon as market prices rise or additional capacities are needed in operation. According to ZSW, the AI takes into account fluctuating markets, volatile generation, and regulatory requirements for electricity from renewable sources equally.
Role distribution in the project
The Stadtwerke Stuttgart, as a practical partner, is responsible for implementing and testing the software at the Green Hydrogen Hub in the Stuttgart harbour. The ZSW contributes methodological expertise in the areas of energy system modelling, optimisation under uncertainty, and machine learning. The research institution is leading the development of the optimisation models.
"The joint project is another development stage for our innovative hydrogen project at the Stuttgart harbour. This allows us to use regenerative resources particularly efficiently in ongoing hydrogen production and to respond to dynamic market movements without neglecting regulatory requirements," says Jannik Eversmann, sub-project manager at Stadtwerke Stuttgart.
Funding by the Federal State of Baden-Württemberg
Jonas Petzschmann, deputy head of the department for Module Systems Applications and team leader for Smart Grids & Grid Integration at ZSW in Stuttgart, adds: "Green hydrogen becomes more economical not only through better technology but also through intelligent operation. SCH2EDULIZER ensures that electrolyser, battery storage, and electricity markets work together optimally."
The joint project has a duration of two years. It is funded through the Invest BW programme by the Ministry of Economic Affairs of the Federal State of Baden-Württemberg. The Green Hydrogen Hub Stuttgart at the harbour of the state capital is considered one of the central hydrogen projects of the Stadtwerke Stuttgart. With the new software application, the partners aim to demonstrate that the economic efficiency of green hydrogen can be significantly improved not only through electrolysis hardware but also through operational management.
