Germany's Ambitious Green Hydrogen Pipeline Plan for Energy Transition
Key Ideas
  • Germany aims to cover a significant portion of its energy needs with green hydrogen imports through pipelines from neighbouring countries by the mid-2030s.
  • The country plans to use green hydrogen to decarbonize highly polluting industrial sectors like steel and chemicals, reducing dependence on fossil fuels.
  • Importing green hydrogen, combined with domestic production, is seen as a key pillar in Germany's energy transition strategy to achieve climate neutrality by leveraging existing natural gas infrastructure in Europe.
  • To realize its green hydrogen import potential, Germany must establish a financing model and agreements on cost-sharing with involved countries swiftly to meet the projected hydrogen demand.
Germany is looking to significantly increase its use of green hydrogen to address greenhouse emissions and reduce dependency on imported fossil fuels, with a particular focus on industrial sectors like steel and chemicals that are difficult to electrify. A recent study by Agora Energiewende and Agora Industry suggests that by the mid-2030s, Germany could cover up to 100 TWh of its energy needs through green hydrogen imports via pipelines from neighbouring countries. The study indicates that by 2035, hydrogen could account for 11.2% of the country's total energy demand. While Germany plans to increase domestic green hydrogen production, it will still need to import around 50-70% of its hydrogen due to limited renewable energy resources domestically. The study emphasizes the importance of securing a cost-effective and reliable supply of renewable hydrogen for Germany to achieve climate neutrality. To facilitate this, Germany will need to quickly establish a financing model and agreements on cost-sharing with partner countries. The study suggests leveraging existing natural gas infrastructure in Europe to boost pipeline imports of green hydrogen to meet the projected demand. In the long term, potential pipeline corridors for hydrogen imports to Germany include routes from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Southern Europe, as well as North Africa. These corridors are essential for ensuring a stable and sufficient supply of green hydrogen for Germany's energy transition. The study highlights that green hydrogen imports will play a crucial role in helping Germany meet its ambitious energy and climate goals.
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