Icelandic power company Landsvirkjun has unveiled plans for the development a hydrogen production facility at the 16MW Ljósifoss Hydropower Station.

The company plans to house the hydrogen facility in a 700m2 building that would be adequate for maximum production at 10 MW, although the electrolysis will be built out in phases, increasing in capacity as demand increases. At full capacity, the station would produce enough hydrogen to power the Reykjavík area’s entire public transportation fleet.

Landsvirkjun has presented it plans to the District Board of Grímsnes and Grafnings District, who would need to give permission for development of the facility.

Business Development Manager Nanna Baldvinsdóttir said that one of the most appealing traits of hydrogen production to Landsvirkjun is the fact that production can be controlled to match the availability of power on the system. “Electrolysers are built to withstand varying production levels in accordance with both hydrogen demand and power availability, allowing the producer to adjust output levels to the needs of the market at any time,” she said.

Hydrogen has recently been enjoying a strong comeback globally. A number of countries, including in the European Union and Japan, have published their own hydrogen road maps, with plans for the widespread use of hydrogen on their energy systems and policy introduced to support such ambitions.