Germany's €19 billion hydrogen network to power green future
According to Bloomberg, Germany has approved plans to build a hydrogen network valued at 19 billion euros. The planned transmission network, which will be 9,035 kilometers long, is expected to be fully operational by 2032.
"Europe’s biggest economy wants to cut carbon emissions 65% by 2030 to reach net zero by 2045, five years earlier than the European Union," reports Bloomberg. However, its efforts have recently encountered obstacles due to cancelling a key pipeline from Norway.
German officials acknowledge that most of Germany's hydrogen demand will need to be met by imports. In the finalised plans, the length of the planned transmission network was reduced by 600 kilometres, which decreased the investment cost from 19.7 to 18.9 billion euros. Klaus Mueller, head of the Federal Network Agency, stated that some initial plans would be unnecessary.
More hydrogen pipelines in Europe
Up to 60% of the future hydrogen network will be converted from existing gas pipelines. Mueller mentioned that about 660 kilometres of current gas connections will be upgraded, with an estimated cost of 2 billion euros. The first pipelines are expected to be launched next year.
This is another hydrogen infrastructure construction project. The hydrogen pipeline from Finland to Germany, passing through Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland, is set to be one of the first such cross-border projects in Europe.
According to the prepared preliminary feasibility study for the Nordic-Baltic Hydrogen Corridor (NBHC) project, which has been placed on the EU's list of priority investments, the planned pipe diameter is 1.2 metres, and several compressor stations will be located along the 2,500-kilometre section.
The construction of the hydrogen corridor is part of the energy transition and decarbonisation of the EU economy, where hydrogen will be one of the key fuels.
