A new pipeline from Mannheim to the Stuttgart area is being planned by Baden-Württemberg’s regional transmission system operator Terranets bw, a division of the state’s EnBW energy company. The pipeline is expected to start transporting hydrogen in 2030.
Terranets bw’s goals to develop and continuously grow a hydrogen network include this action. The specific consumers and the source of the green hydrogen are yet unknown, but work has already begun to set up the transportation network.
Transmission companies are preparing for the use of hydrogen by adding up to 2,900 kilometers of new lines across the country and converting up to 5,900 kilometers of existing gas networks for hydrogen, a project that could cost up to 10 billion euros.
More than 2,700 kilometers of pipelines are run by Terranets bw in Baden-Württemberg and the neighboring state of Hesse. The retrofitting of the gas pipelines to withstand the more corrosive hydrogen, which can damage rubber seals and other crucial components, will take about five years.
Researchers have cautioned against rushing into the hydrogen industry since it would take a very long time before there is enough climate-friendly green hydrogen on hand. However, Terranets bw anticipates that the current yearly use of 2,000-kilowatt hours will double by 2030 and triple by 2050.
