This section in south-western Lower Saxony is an initial part of the hydrogen core network and consists of 95% repurposed pipelines previously used for other gases. As part of the GET H2 network, the conversion of the pipelines is supported by funding from the German Federal Government and the State of Lower Saxony under the IPCEI (Important Projects of Common European Interest) programme.
The network section from Lingen to Bad Bentheim creates important connections for producers and users of hydrogen. “With this commissioning, we are providing the first transport capacities for the early phase of the hydrogen economy,” said Nowega Managing Director Frank Heunemann. “The focus on repurposing existing pipelines demonstrates how we can enable the start of hydrogen transport in a cost-efficient and rapid manner.”
In the first phase of commissioning, the network section is being filled with a total of 28,500 cubic metres of hydrogen, bringing it to a pressure level of 3 bar. “This has been an outstanding achievement by the entire project team,” said Dennis Hoeveler, Head of Technical Operations at Nowega. “We are now filling the system initially with hydrogen and will have it operational by mid-April. Once the system is brought up to operating pressure, we can begin the first transports.” The initial filling is being carried out using hydrogen delivered by trailer.
A key first customer of Nowega’s hydrogen network is RWE Generation’s 300 MW electrolysis plant in Lingen, which is expected to start producing green hydrogen from renewable electricity this year. “The filling of Nowega’s first network section is excellent news for RWE,” said Sopna Sury, COO Hydrogen at RWE Generation. “It marks a concrete step in the development of Germany’s hydrogen core network. At the same time, it brings within reach the connection between our electrolysis site in Lingen and RWE’s hydrogen storage facility in Gronau-Epe. We need this link to ensure stable supply to our customers, such as TotalEnergies in Leuna.”
In the second half of the year, the network is to be extended further south. By then, ongoing construction work for the transport of hydrogen on the joint pipeline of Essen-based transmission system operator OGE and Nowega between Bad Bentheim and Legden in the Münsterland region is expected to be completed. Additional connections will branch off from this line, including one to the hydrogen storage facility in Epe, an existing link to the Marl chemical park, as well as pipelines connecting industrial customers and an import route from the Netherlands.
