Thyssengas begins work on hydrogen pipelines in Germany

German gas network operator Thyssengas GmbH has launched work on the development of hydrogen pipelines, set to form part of the nation's hydrogen core network which received final approval in October.

As part of the 9,040 km hydrogen core network, Thyssengas plans 35 projects which involve the construction and conversion of pipelines totalling around 1,100 km (683.5 miles). The aim is to connect major industrial hubs and mid-sized companies in Muensterland, the Ruhr region, and the Rhineland, to hydrogen infrastructure.

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"Our most time-critical H2 projects are now moving into the implementation phase, meaning the necessary planning and approval processes," said chief executive Thomas Goessmann.

For projects scheduled for a later start and with implementation paths still to be defined, Thyssengas noted that it continues to work closely with potential hydrogen offtakers, policymakers, and authorities. The goal is to make these projects market-ready together through further network development steps.

Three factors are important for the ramp-up of the hydrogen market, according to Thyssengas's Head of Strategy and Innovation Arne Dammer. In his view, the industry’s current non-binding commitments to future hydrogen needs should quickly be formalised into binding contracts; future connections should be planned now during the core network’s development to allow efficient integration of regional hydrogen customers later and the distribution of hydrogen from the core network to broader regions needs to be included early in the planning stages.