A nearly climate-neutral urban quarter is being built in Esslingen am Neckar in Baden-Württemberg. The sustainable showcase district “Neue Weststadt – Klimaquartier” with around 480 apartments, office and commercial space as well as a new building for Esslingen University of Applied Sciences is being built on the former freight station site. As part of the research project “Climate-neutral urban district – Neue Weststadt Esslingen”, a sustainable energy concept is to be implemented at district level.

Using power-to-gas-to-power (P2G2P) as a key technology, surplus green electricity is converted into “green hydrogen” on site and processed for use in the district, in mobility and in industry. Neue Weststadt is one of six urban planning lighthouse projects funded by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection (BMWK) and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).

3H2 network partner TÜV SÜD provided technical safety support for the development and implementation of the energy concept for the “Neue Weststadt”. The particular challenge was the integration of hydrogen production into an urban quarter. For example, much more comprehensive requirements have to be taken into account for approval in public spaces than on greenfield sites or industrial areas with restricted access. TÜV SÜD’s safety assessment included not only the electrolyzer for hydrogen production, but also all the necessary systems and components for the generation, storage, distribution and reconversion of the hydrogen produced – including a hydrogen pipeline laid underground and a hydrogen filling system.