German govt passes legal framework for core hydrogen network

Germany's Federal Cabinet on Wednesday approved regulations that pertain to the legal and regulatory framework for a future hydrogen core network in the country as part of amendments to the Energy Industry Act (EnWG).

The plan for the core hydrogen network will encompass all key hydrogen locations and regions throughout Germany. It refers to crucial hydrogen infrastructure that is slated to become operational by 2032.

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Over the next few months, the design of the core network will be undertaken by long-distance gas network operators. After that, input will be sought from the public, federal states, and various market participants. The final model of the core network will then undergo approval by the Federal Network Agency.

In a subsequent stage, a plan for a comprehensive hydrogen network will be incorporated into the Energy Industry Act by the end of this year.

This detailed plan will be developed based on existing network development processes and will cater to the hydrogen requirements of relevant customers, including energy-intensive companies, extending beyond the hydrogen core network.

Economy minister Robert Habeck commented: "Our goal is to ramp up the hydrogen market quickly in order to further advance the decarbonisation of economic sectors with high greenhouse gas emissions. This requires the rapid and cost-efficient establishment of a hydrogen network infrastructure in Germany [...]. With the creation of the framework for the hydrogen network, we are taking a decisive step in this direction.”