The European Union is supporting an ambitious German-Polish hydrogen project in Western Pomerania. PNE AG is planning to produce up to one gigawatt of green hydrogen for both countries in the region. The EU Commission has now approved funding of 190,000 euros through its executive agency CINEA for initial feasibility studies.
At the heart of the "Pomeranian Green Hydrogen Cluster" is the development of massive production capacities for green hydrogen. PNE subsidiary Sevivon plans to build wind and solar power plants with a capacity of two gigawatts in Western Pomerania. The electricity produced there will power two electrolyzers, each with a capacity of 500 megawatts.
A key role is played by the transport infrastructure: The network operators Gascade (Germany) and Gaz-System (Poland) are examining the connection to the German core network project "Flow". This involves the conversion of about 480 kilometers of existing gas pipelines from Lubmin to the Czech border. Initial sections could be transporting hydrogen as early as 2025.
Connection to European Hydrogen Network Planned
The project is part of the European hydrogen strategy. EU member states are planning a continental hydrogen core network with 4,500 kilometers of pipelines, including 3,000 kilometers of repurposed natural gas infrastructure. In Germany, the Federal Network Agency recently approved a national core network that is set to grow to over 9,000 kilometers by 2032.
"With this, we are reaching another milestone for one of the largest domestic productions of green hydrogen in Europe," emphasizes PNE CEO Per Hornung Pedersen. According to Gaz-System, the cluster combines optimal production conditions with cost-effective distribution through direct network connection. The hydrogen will primarily serve to decarbonize local industrial operations that cannot be electrified.
The EU funding is provided under the "CEF RES" program, which has been supporting cross-border projects in renewable energy since 2021. The exact location and technical details of the infrastructure are still being analyzed.
