The Hanseatic Energy Hub (HEH) consortium, in which the Spanish energy infrastructure operator Enagas has a 15% stake, on Friday started the construction of Germany’s first land-based liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal, which will become operational in 2027, the agency reports EFE.

The Spanish multinational engineering company Tecnicas Reunidas, together with its partners FCC and Enka, will handle the construction, the foundation of which will be designed to allow for subsequent conversion to ammonia and which will use a quantity of concrete equivalent to that of 20 of Olympic swimming pools and some steel structures that will weigh 1.5 times more than the Eiffel Tower, according to Agerpres.

According to a press release from the consortium, more than 1,100 people will work in this phase of the project of the two largest LNG tanks in Europe (which will be prepared to operate including renewable ammonia and will have a capacity of 240,000 cubic meters each), which will could be connected to the grid in three years.

The German companies EnBW and SEFE, which reserved annual capacities of 6 and 4 million cubic meters, respectively, within the terminal, were joined by the Czech company CEZ, which reserved long-term import rights of 2 million cubic meters per year.

All customers have the option to change their contracts to hydrogen-based energy sources, such as ammonia, as part of driving the energy transition process in their countries.

“The start of the construction of this project represents a new step forward in meeting the European objectives of security of supply and decarbonization”, said the general director of Enagas, Arturo Gonzalo, who recalled that the company he leads will be the operator of this Stade terminal, in Lower Saxony in Germany.