Program


Hydrogen is an important prospect for the whole of Europe. With Flow - making hydrogen happen we are creating a high-performance pipeline system for green hydrogen from 2025.

We are linking international hydrogen markets and thus opening up supply opportunities for large quantities of hydrogen to industry. The first pipeline sections are to be converted as early as 2025. This will enable CO2 emissions to be reduced faster than before. With Flow - making hydrogen happen we are providing an important building block for the European hydrogen ramp-up and the energy transition.

Program
 


Planned 

Pipeline Route

 
Program


Flow – making hydrogen happen in 9 points


01

Collaborative mission

We decarbonize industry. With hydrogen as a central part of the energy transition.


02

Our contribution

Realization of a high-performance north-south transport route for climate-neutral hydrogen by 2029.


03

1630 km pipeline

Rostock – Lubmin - Schwedt - Berlin - Leipzig - Leuna - Erfurt - Ludwigshafen - Karlsruhe - Stuttgart


04

Rapid implementation

Conversion of existing natural gas pipelines to hydrogen from 2025.


05

Large transport capacity

Generation in Lubmin, in the greater Rostock area and along the pipeline. Imports via Rostock Port and Baltic Hyrogen Collector, feed-in capacity up to 20 GW.


06

High security of supply

Resilience through possible connection to cavern storage facilities in Brandenburg, Saxony-Anhalt and Hesse and diversification of transport routes.


07

Powerful network

Connection to the IPCEI projects doing hydrogen and Green Octopus Mitteldeutschland as well as to the projects Hydrogen for Baden-Württemberg, HyPipe Bavaria and MosaHYc.


08

Phased expansion

Commissioning of first sections in 2025, expansion to Baden-Württemberg from 2029.


09

Perspective

Extensions to Bavaria, Austria, Switzerland, France, the Czech Republic, Poland, Denmark and to the northwest possible.


Program


We use existing infrastructure to rapidly open up important areas in Europe for hydrogen ramp-up.

Flow - making hydrogen happen connects planned offshore pipelines of Baltic Sea countries with the Czech Republic. Further conversions to the southwest will also enable France and Austria to get connected. German areas such as the chemical triangle Halle/Leipzig and the Rhine-Main-Neckar region will also benefit.






Potential consumers of green hydrogen will benefit massively from a secure supply of large quantities of the climate-neutral and highly flexible energy carrier and raw material.

The connection to international import routes, hydrogen storage facilities, other large-scale hydrogen transport projects and the European Hydrogen Backbone create additional supply security.

We make hydrogen happen.

Milestones
Development stages of Flow – making hydrogen happen (East)

PCI Status | November 2023
The European Commission is listing the eastern part of Flow – making hydrogen happen as a Project of Common Interest (PCI).

Hydrogen Core Grid | October 2024
The Federal Network Agency confirms the hydrogen core grid draft of the hydrogen grid operators. The Flow – making hydrogen happen program is part of the core network.

Investment Decision | October 2024
GASCADE takes the investment decision to implement the northern section of Flow (East).

Scheduled Commissioning | December 2025
GASCADE plans to commission the northern section of Flow (East).

Feasibility Study | October 2024 – January 2026
GASCADE is conducting a feasibility study on the German-Polish connection between Flow (East) and the Polish hydrogen backbone.

Planned Investment Decision | December 2027
GASCADE is planning the investment decision to implement the southern section of Flow (East).

Scheduled Commissioning | October 2030
GASCADE plans to commission the southern section of Flow (East).

News
Partners


Program partners


Associated partners

Contact


You are planning to produce or consume hydrogen in large quantities?

Join us with your project!

    GASCADE Gastransport GmbH
    Dr. Dirk Flandrich

    flow@gascade.de

    ONTRAS Gastransport GmbH
    Holger Sprung

    flow@ontras.com

    terranets bw GmbH
    Stephanie Seybold

    flow@terranets-bw.de

    More Information
    Associated project ONTRAS H2 start-up grid
    With the ONTRAS H2 Start Network, ONTRAS is realising a hydrogen transport network for central and eastern Germany covering around 600 kilometres by 2032. Around 80 per cent of this will be created by converting existing gas pipelines, while around 20 per cent will be newly built. The IPCEI Green Octopus Central Germany and the pipeline section in the Bad Lauchstädt energy park (real laboratory of the energy transition), which will go into operation in 2025, are part of the ONTRAS H2 Start Network. The ONTRAS H2 Start Network is part of the Germany-wide hydrogen core grid.

    www.ontras.com/de/fokus-wasserstoff/wasserstoffinfrastruktur
    Associated initiative Hydrogen for Baden-Württemberg
    With its initiative "H2 for BW", terranets bw is committed to connecting Baden-Württemberg to the German and European hydrogen infrastructure. The platform www.h2-fuer-bw.de, hosted by terranets bw, transparently provides plans and detailed conversion projects and identifies future hydrogen demands. Together with network operators and hydrogen producers, the company constantly works on resilient transport routes from the sources to the key areas of demand in Baden-Württemberg.
    Associated initiative mosaHYc
    With the infrastructure project mosaHYc (moselle-saar-hydrogen-conversion), the distribution network operators Creos (Germany) and GRTgaz (France), in cooperation with the energy company Encevo (Luxembourg), want to establish an approximately 100-kilometre-long hydrogen pipeline in the Grande Région. About 70 kilometres of existing gas pipelines, some of which are out of service, are to be converted into hydrogen pipelines. An additional construction of about 20 kilometres of hydrogen pipelines will create a first hydrogen island network. Specifically, existing pipelines in the area of Völklingen (Germany), Carling (France), Bouzonville (France) and Perl (Germany) will be examined for their suitability as hydrogen pipelines. A major new construction will be built from Bouzonville in the direction of Dillingen. The island network will provide a capacity of up to 120,000 m3/h, depending on the maximum operating pressure. The pipeline network is scheduled to be commissioned in 2027.Thus, the project could contribute decarbonising the steel industry in saarland, mobility uses and address major environmental and societal challenges including the topic of improving air quality in the Saar-Lor-Lux region.

    MosaHYc - Grande Regione Hydrogen
    Associated initiative HyPipe Bavaria
    bayernets GmbH sets the course for hydrogen import to Bavaria and establishes a hydrogen hub in Southern Bavaria. The project HyPipe Bavaria – The Hydrogen Hub lays the foundation for the first high-performance pipeline system for green hydrogen in Bavaria until 2030, and is mainly centred around the utilization of existing repurposed infrastructure. With about 300 kilometres HyPipe Bavaria –The Hydrogen Hub is an important part of the European Hydrogen Backbone connecting the potential hydrogen sources from various directions with end costumers.

    HyPipe Bavaria – The Hydrogen Hub
    Flow – making hydrogen happen: Project map
    Here you can find the recent map of the project Flow - making hydrogen happen
    Flow - making hydrogen happen is a Project of Common Interest
    The European Commission has confirmed the eastern part of Flow - making hydrogen happen as a “Project of Common Interest” (PCI). Click here to go to the European Commission, details of the project can be found on the PCI-transparency platform.