The invention relates to a supply unit (20) for a DC load (50). The supply unit (20) comprises: - a DC terminal (21) for connecting to the DC load (50), - a first AC terminal (22) which is connected to a
DC bus (26) via a first AC /
DC converter (24), - a second AC terminal (23) which is designed for connecting to a second AC
voltage (U2) and which is connected to the DC terminal (21) via a second AC /
DC converter (25), - an
energy storage device (29) which is connected to the
DC bus (26) via a first DC /
DC converter (27), - a second DC / DC converter (28) which connects the
DC bus (26) to the DC terminal (21) and which can be operated so as to provide the current with respect to the DC terminal (21), and - a
control unit (30) for controlling the supply unit (20). The supply unit is characterized in that - the first DC / DC converter (27) is designed in the form of a bidirectional DC / DC converter, and the
control unit (30) is designed to operate the first DC / DC converter (27) so as to provide the
voltage with respect to the DC
bus (26), and - the first AC / DC converter (24) is designed in the form of a bidirectional AC / DC converter, and the
control unit (30) is designed to operate the first AC / DC converter (24) so as to provide the
voltage with respect to the first AC terminal (22). The invention additionally relates to an operating and starting method and to an
electrolysis system comprising such a supply unit (20).