Installation of the first HY.AIR 80 fuel cell at Westhof’s organic freezing plant

At the BIO-FROST WESTHOF site in Friedrichsgabekoog, HY.AIR Energy has begun installing the first HY.AIR 80 fire protection demonstration system based on a hydrogen fuel cell.

HY.AIR meets the high standards of the WESTHOF BIO Group, which is known for outstanding sustainability in agriculture: In the world’s first pilot project, the green electricity and emission-free heat from the HY.AIR 80 will be integrated into the infrastructure of Europe’s most sustainable organic freezer and the oxygen-reduced air will be used for a preventive protective atmosphere in the new deep-freeze warehouse.
Westhof’s CO2-free and grid-friendly organic freezer was officially opened at the same time on May 30 in the presence of Monika Heinold, Deputy Minister President of Schleswig-Holstein.

As the only preventive fire protection system based on a fuel cell, the HY.AIR 80 uses the low-oxygen exhaust air produced during the energy conversion of hydrogen to reduce the oxygen content in warehouses and thus not only creates a permanent protective atmosphere, but also generates emission-free electricity and heat at the same time. Due to the multiple use, the combined efficiency is over 90 %. This not only reduces operating costs, but also protects the environment. The 80 kW unit is compactly integrated into a 20-foot container and can be easily installed via “plug’n’play”.
The system operates independently of the grid.

The demonstration project is being implemented in collaboration with the fire protection company MINIMAX.
With its proven, VdS-approved fire protection, MINIMAX is already an elementary component of site safety in Friedrichsgabekoog and also provides the safety-relevant control and sensor technology for the HY.AIR Energy system.

The 100% green hydrogen used, supplied by GP JOULE from North Friesland, is obtained in the eFarm project exclusively from regional renewable energy.