On 18 November, gas network operator OGE and Stadtwerke Essen (SWE) signed a partnership agreement on the future transport of hydrogen to Essen. They want to explore the possibility of transporting H2 via the hydrogen core network to customers in the Ruhr metropolis. The partners' aim is to determine a „perspective capacity requirement” as well as grid connection and transformation planning, which should also answer the question of „when and how hydrogen will flow through which parts of Stadtwerke Essen's distribution network“.
„The partnership between two strong Essen-based companies underlines the seriousness of driving forward the decarbonisation and transformation of the energy supply on the Rhine and Ruhr. As an important industrial location throughout Germany, the supply of hydrogen to Essen, from the economy to the end customer, is of enormous importance“, says Dr. Thomas Hüwener, CEO of OGE.
Dr. Frank Pieper, CEO of SWE, emphasises the importance of early strategic and sustainable solutions for the local utility company. „That is why we have decided to utilise the potential of hydrogen for Essen. This requires strong partnerships - and we are tackling them, as we are now doing with OGE.“
Essen's Lord Mayor Thomas Kufen praised the hydrogen partnership and emphasised the pioneering role of the „Energy Capital of Europe“ in this area. He cites the goal of strengthening the business location through this key technology.
Background
At the end of October, the Bundesnetzagentur granted authorisation for the construction of a Germany-wide core network for hydrogen. With a total length of 9,040 kilometres, Europe's largest hydrogen network will be created by 2032.
OGE is building part of this new hydrogen infrastructure. With a share of around 60 %, the core network will mainly consist of converted natural gas pipelines. The investment costs amount to around 19 billion euros. The core network will run through the city of Essen.