RWE and Shell plan green hydrogen pipeline from North Sea

GASCADE, Gasunie, RWE, and Shell, project partners, signed a declaration of intent to expand their cooperation on the AquaDuctus project.

Green hydrogen will be transported directly from the North Sea to the continent through the AquaDuctus pipeline. It’s part of the AquaVentus project, which aims to construct a 10-gigawatt electrolysis capacity for green hydrogen production from offshore wind between Heligoland and the Dogger sand bank. Demand, generation, and transportation of hydrogen will all be synchronized in the dovetailed sub-projects to allow for a fast market ramp-up.

The AquaDuctus pipeline is a concept for the first offshore hydrogen pipeline in Germany. From 2035 onwards, once the generation plants are fully operational, AquaDuctus will transport up to one million tonnes of green hydrogen annually, making a significant contribution to Germany’s and Europe’s decarbonization of energy supply. As a result, AquaDuctus is a critical landmark in the implementation of Germany’s and Europe’s hydrogen strategies.

The pipeline has strong economic advantages over transporting electricity produced offshore. The pipeline would eliminate the need to build five high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission systems that would otherwise be needed. It is by far the most cost-effective method of transporting vast amounts of energy over distances exceeding 400 kilometers.

The AquaDuctus project’s first step is to conduct a thorough feasibility report. AquaDuctus has also taken part in the German Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy’s IPCEI (Important Project of Common European Interest) operation.