On July 24, the study "Hydrogen Network Central Germany 2.0" was presented in Leipzig. It was conducted by the European Metropolitan Region Central Germany, the hydrogen network HYPOS, the DBI Group, and Infracon on behalf of 54 companies and authorities in the three federal states. One result: In Central Germany, hydrogen demand and supply will increase rapidly by 2040. To connect producers and consumers, a regional distribution network of approximately 1,100 km is necessary in Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia.
The study predicts a hydrogen demand of up to 39 terawatt-hours (TWh) for 2030 in the sectors of industry, trade, commerce and services, households, energy, and mobility based on specific demand surveys and area potential analyses. By 2040, this demand will more than double to up to 88 TWh. More than one-third of this will be attributed to the industry and energy sectors. These numbers already exceed the demand determined for Central Germany within the framework of the Federal Government's National Hydrogen Strategy.
The study also acknowledges a significant potential for the local production of green hydrogen in the region. By 2030, an electrolysis capacity of 2.9 to 3.7 gigawatts (GW) is expected. Ten years later, this capacity should range between 7.1 GW and 11.0 GW. This will be possible through further increasing the expansion potential for renewable energies in Central Germany, which the study examined based on three scenarios (conservative, moderate, ambitious).
About 50% Repurposing
To connect demanders and producers at the 79 connection points reported by the study partners, the planned Hydrogen Network Central Germany includes two pipeline sections with a total length of 1,100 kilometers. In close coordination with the 13 involved network operators, the study authors propose a phased implementation of the network for the years 2030, 2035, 2040, and 2045. Approximately 51 percent of the route (565 km) is to be realized by converting existing natural gas pipelines.
In the moderate scenario, the installed capacity of wind energy in the study area increases sixfold to around 34 GW by 2040, while ground-mounted photovoltaics increases eightfold to 23 GW. As a result, by 2040, one-third of the regional hydrogen demand can be met by domestic production in the study area.
By laying new sections in existing corridor routes, costs and planning periods can be significantly reduced. Currently, the authors of the study estimate the costs for the Central German hydrogen network to be around one billion euros. This represents a saving of 41 percent or 720 million euros compared to a completely new construction of the network.
