Thyssengas is planning an 800-kilometer hydrogen launch grid in Germany.
Dortmund – In the current phase, politicians are still busy organizing replacements for Russian pipeline gas from other sources. Meanwhile, the economy is already pushing ahead with the use of hydrogen as an alternative to natural gas on its own initiative.
The transmission system operator Thyssengas currently operates a 4,400-kilometre-long transmission network, most of which still transports natural gas. But that is about to change. In the future, these pipelines will gradually be converted to hydrogen and other green gases.
Thyssengas plans 800-kilometer hydrogen launch network
With the establishment of a “Thyssengas H2 start network” based on the existing natural gas network, Thyssengas wants to underline its own claim to be a pioneer and designer of the energy transition.
Dr. Thomas Gößmann, CEO of Thyssengas GmbH, said:
So far, we do not have a legal mandate for the construction of a hydrogen network, although there is demand and potential.
“However, I am convinced that without our initiative, a rapid hydrogen ramp-up will not succeed.”
He sees the establishment of an H2 network based on existing natural gas pipelines as a necessary lever and an important signal to producers, importers and consumers in the Thyssengas grid area.
“All market participants need predictability as to when a high-performance hydrogen network will be available in order to be able to satisfy their respective needs. We are now giving the go-ahead for our network,” Gößmann continues.
Hydrogen supply by 2030 at the latest
Thyssengas’ hydrogen grid planning is based on around 45 declarations of intent (MoUs) that Thyssengas has concluded with potential hydrogen producers and customers as part of a market survey conducted by FNB Gas e.V., an association of supra-regional gas transport companies.
Over the 800 kilometres of pipeline identified, these future customers are to be reliably supplied with hydrogen from 2030 at the latest. These are lines that are to be successively rededicated for hydrogen transport or rebuilt in parts.
By 2045, it is planned that more and more line kilometers will be added and the hydrogen network in the Thyssengas network will be expanded in parallel with the growing market.
This means that the Thyssengas pipelines are also an essential part of the Germany-wide hydrogen network for the year 2032, which has already been published by the transmission system operators as a hydrogen variant as part of the interim status of the Gas Network Development Plan 2022-2032 on 6 July 2022.
Thyssengas plans 800-kilometer hydrogen launch network in Germany, July 12, 2022
