A hydrogen distribution network is to be developed in the Westmünsterland region. The network will connect to the pipeline of the major GET H2 Nukleus project and supply energy-intensive companies in the region with hydrogen.

17 June 2022. Hydrogen transport networks at the municipal level can be an important building block of the energy transition. Numerous energy-intensive companies can significantly reduce their CO2 emissions in this way. The demands from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) for the decommissioning of distribution networks are undermining the plans of municipal companies and SMEs. One example of how hydrogen distribution networks can contribute to the achievement of climate targets in the near term is the project involving several municipal utilities and municipalities in the Westmünsterland region, which connects to the pipeline of the major GET H2 Nukleus project.

From 2024, a hydrogen distribution network is to be developed in the Westmünsterland region, connecting to the GET H2 Nukleus pipeline. Industrial companies planning to switch from natural gas to hydrogen, as well as filling stations, are to be supplied with hydrogen on a continuous basis. Local producers of green hydrogen are to be able to feed into the network. The development of the distribution network is being coordinated by Wasserstoff Entwicklungs GmbH & Co. KG, which was founded by the energy cooperative AHLeG and has since been joined by further partners.

“The energy-intensive companies in this SME-dominated region can make a significant contribution to reducing CO2 emissions and remain competitive by switching to hydrogen,” said Dr. Jörg Schuirmann, CEO of Wasserstoff Entwicklungs GmbH & Co. KG. Supply by truck, ship or rail – which is a viable option for hydrogen filling stations – is not an option for these companies: the four most energy-intensive companies in the municipality of Heek alone have a demand of 33.3 million cubic metres of hydrogen per year, as a survey by Wasserstoff Entwicklungs GmbH & Co. KG revealed. That would amount to 14,600 tanker trucks carrying LOHC-bound hydrogen – in Heek alone.

“To supply the companies continuously with the necessary quantities, we need a reliable pipeline network. We can build this efficiently from the existing network and the new hydrogen distribution network. This shows how important gas distribution networks are for the development of a high-performance hydrogen infrastructure in Germany,” emphasised Dr. Jörg Schuirmann.

“In the ramp-up of the hydrogen economy, we must not prematurely rule out any transport option,” said Frank Heunemann, CEO of transmission system operator Nowega. The commitment of municipal companies and SMEs to contribute to the achievement of climate targets must not be curtailed by attacks on local distribution networks. “Supplying local networks with hydrogen is an important task for large-scale projects such as GET H2 Nukleus. Only if we think about the hydrogen economy systemically, rather than in isolated projects, will we be able to truly harness the potential of this climate-neutral energy carrier,” Heunemann emphasised.