Project
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.
Project
Planned Pipeline Route
Project
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 2028.
03
1100 km pipeline
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 the Lubmin region and in the Baltic Sea, 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 by 2028.
09
Perspective
Extensions to Bavaria, Austria, Switzerland, France, the Czech Republic, Poland, Denmark and to the northwest possible.
Project
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.
Partners
Project partners
GASCADE Gastransport GmbH
GASCADE Gastransport GmbH operates a gas pipeline network throughout Germany. The network company offers its customers cutting-edge, competitive transport services over its own long-distance high-pressure pipeline network of more than 3,200 kilometers in length in the heart of Europe. In addition, GASCADE is working intensively on ramping up a national and European hydrogen market.www.gascade.de
ONTRAS Gastransport GmbH
ONTRAS operates the 7,700-kilometre long pipeline network in eastern Germany and is responsible for the reliable and efficient transport of gaseous energy - today and in the future. We are actively shaping the development of a German hydrogen network, integrated into the European hydrogen infrastructure. With the ONTRAS start network for hydrogen and the two pipeline projects doing hydrogen and Greens Octopus Mitteldeutschland, ONTRAS is laying the foundation for the eastern German hydrogen infrastructure.www.ontras.com
terranets bw
terranets bw is an independent transmission system operator for gas. With its approximately 2,700 km long high-pressure gas pipeline grid, terranets bw guarantees the non-discriminatory transmission of gas from Lower Saxony to Lake Constance. terranets bw provides its customers with a broad range of services related to gas transmission and telecommunication infrastructure. Approximately 300 employees work for the company in nine locations in Baden-Württemberg and Hessen.www.terranets-bw.de
Associated partners
APEX Group
The APEX Group, headquartered in Rostock-Laage, is one of the pioneers of the green energy transition. The company enables customers to convert their own conventional energy supplies to green hydrogen in a decentralized manner. They do this by supporting customers in project development, procurement, and construction as well as management and maintenance of their green energy systems. In recent years, the APEX Group has worked with the Fraunhofer Institute to develop its own pressurized hydrogen storage system to ensure a reliable supply. Together with established research institutions (such as the Leibniz Institute for Catalysis), the APEX Group is currently developing the next major innovation: the chemical storage of hydrogen. In May 2021, the company commissioned the largest at that time, grid-connected hydrogen plant in Europe. This hydrogen power plant will enable the APEX Group to supply the company site and the nearby industrial park with completely CO2-neutral hydrogen, electricity and heat. In June 2022, the APEX Group was awarded the contract to build a ten-megawatt electrolysis plant for EWE AG & swb AG in Bremen to put ArcelorMittal's steel mill on the path to Co2-neutral steel production. The pilot project is one of the largest of its kind in Europe.
bayernets
bayernets GmbH is the transmission system operator in Bavaria. As part of the European gas transmission system, we transport gas through Southern Germany efficiently, safely and in an environmentally friendly way. Sustainability is at the core of everything we do.
We make a central contribution to the security of supply in our network area. By operating our pipelines safely, optimising our grid in line with demand and developing our network sustainably, we ensure a high-performance transmission network.
We are shaping the energy transition and already setting the course for transporting hydrogen as an important building block in the energy system of the future.
CEMEX Zement GmbH
The building materials company CEMEX operates on a global scale with its cement, ready-mixed concrete, mineral resources and urbanisation divisions. Through its sustainable products and solutions, the company aims to contribute to a better future. This means CEMEX focuses on the circular economy along the entire construction value chain and is a pioneer when it comes to promoting the use of new technologies. CEMEX has set itself the goal of reducing CO2 emissions by 55% across Europe by 2030. The company has also committed to delivering carbon neutral concrete globally by 2050.
www.cemex.com
Creos Deutschland GmbH
The building materials company Creos Deutschland GmbH ensures a secure, affordable, consumer-friendly, efficient and environmentally friendly grid-based supply of electricity and gas in the Saarland and Rhineland-Palatinate regions for more than 2 million people in 340 cities and municipalities via a 1,650 km long gas and 450 km long high and medium voltage grid. Its direct customers include around 40 downstream municipal utilities and 20 industrial companies.
Deutsche ReGas
EnBW
With over 26,000 employees, EnBW is one of the largest energy companies in Germany and Europe. It supplies around 5.5 million customers with electricity, gas, water as well as services and products in the areas of infrastructure and energy. The expansion of renewable energies is a cornerstone of the growth strategy and a focus of investment. EnBW will invest around 4 billion euros in the further expansion of wind and solar energy by 2025. By the end of 2025, more than half of the generation portfolio is set to consist of renewable energies. This is already having a noticeable effect on reducing CO₂ emissions, which EnBW aims to halve by 2030. EnBW is aiming for climate neutrality by 2035.
ENERTRAG
ENERTRAG is one of the largest renewable-energy companies in Germany, and the largest in Brandenburg. We develop, build, own and operate integrated energy plants that produce reliable electricity, green hydrogen and heat from wind and solar power. ENERTRAG has more than two decades of experience in successful and efficient renewables-projects development and implementation. We realized projects with a total capacity of 2 GW and raised more than €2 billion of debt and equity. We produce close to 2 TWh of electricity per year from our own assets, and manage over 1,000 wind turbines from our own fleet and for clients. Our close to 1,000 employees combine all the competencies required for successful operation and efficient maintenance, for local-community-oriented planning and reliable construction of energy plants and grids up to complete interconnected power plants. We are always one energy ahead – be it in grid solutions, storage solutions or in sector coupling with power-to-heat or green-hydrogen plants.
www.enertrag.com/
EVA Alzenau
Since 1998, Energieversorgung Alzenau GmbH, located in Alzenau has supplied the city of Alzenau and the surrounding neighborhoods of Albstadt, Kälberau, Michelbach, Wasserlos and Hörstein with electricity and gas.
The shareholders include the city of Alzenau and Bayernwerk AG.
Hanau Netz GmbH
Hanau Netz GmbH is a subsidiary of Stadtwerke Hanau GmbH and Netzdienste Rhein-Main GmbH. Through Hanau Netz GmbH, Stadtwerke Hanau GmbH guarantees all suppliers secure and non-discriminatory market access to its electricity and gas networks. The energy and drinking water networks in Hanau and the gas supply network in Großkrotzenburg are operated by Hanau Netz GmbH. Thanks to the many years of experience of the two parent companies in the construction and operation of supply networks for electricity, gas, heat and drinking water, Hanau Netz GmbH has an infrastructure that is characterized by high technical quality, security of supply and economically efficient network operation.
HH2E AG
HH2E AG develops after-use concepts "HH2E-Werke" for former fossil power plant sites. Through the interaction of innovative future technologies for the generation and storage of green heat, green hydrogen and green peak electricity, renewable energies are integrated into the sectors that have so far emitted particularly high levels of CO2, namely heat and mobility.www.hh2e.de
Hy2gen
Hy2gen AG, based in Wiesbaden, Germany, develops, finances, builds and operates plants worldwide for the production of green hydrogen, green ammonia and hydrogen-based e-fuels. Hy2gen uses these products to realise climate-neutral and competitive fuels and energy sources. The first plants are to be built in France, Norway, Canada and Germany. Hy2gen's goal is to become the market leader in the production of green hydrogen and its derivatives for mobility, agriculture and industry. Founded in 2017, the company's first-mover advantage is underlined by a current project pipeline in planning and construction of 880 MW and a project pipeline of over 12 GW of electrolysis capacity in development. In the first financing rounds, Trafigura and other private investor:s have already invested in Hy2gen. At the beginning of 2022, Hy2gen raised a further €200 million in investor funds for additional projects with the entry of Hy24, mirova, CDPQ and Technip Energies. This is a transaction with the highest amount ever paid in this segment.
Infraserv
Infraserv Höchst operates Industriepark Höchst, one of the largest research and production sites for the chemical and pharmaceutical industry in Europe. The company's service areas include the supply of energy and media as well as the operation of networks.
Infraserv Höchst has many years of experience in handling hydrogen. The Infraserv experts clean, store, compress and distribute hydrogen at different pressure levels to companies on site and to external customers. Since the end of 2022, Infraserv Höchst has been supplying what is currently the world's largest hydrogen train fleet for local public transport via the H2 train filling station in Industriepark Höchst.
IWEN Energy Institute gGmbH
As an affiliated institute of the University of Rostock, IWEN stands for research, development and technology transfer in the field of renewable energies. We are a competent partner for companies, municipalities and research institutions. With our portfolio, we consistently are driving forward the energy transition.
Jass-Gruppe
The Jass Group is a leading European company operating in the paper recycling economy. We employ around 800 workers in Fulda, Rudolstadt/Schwarza and Erfurt in Germany, as well as Gostyn and Dabrowa Górnicza in Poland.
Lhyfe
Founded in 2017 in Nantes, Lhyfe produces and supplies green hydrogen for mobility and industry. The company's production sites enable the regional and local establishment of hydrogen ecosystems and the tailored production of green hydrogen in industrial quantities. The company is a member of France Hydrogène and Hydrogen Europe. Lhyfe inaugurated its first industrial green hydrogen production facility in September 2021. The company is currently involved in 112 projects across Europe, 35 of which are in the advanced development phase by 2026 and will contribute to the decarbonization of mobility and industry. In 2019, Lhyfe participated in a real-world research program for the world's first floating electrolyzer and a direct connection to a floating wind farm. The R&D plant has been in operation since September 2022.
www.lhyfe.com
MET Group
MET Group is an integrated European energy company, headquartered in Switzerland, with activities and assets in natural gas and power markets. MET is present in 13 countries through subsidiaries, 27 national gas markets, and 22 international trading hubs. In 2021, MET Group’s consolidated sales revenue amounted to EUR 18,1 billion, the volume of traded natural gas was 55 BCM, traded electricity 50+ TWh.
www.met.com
PtX development
PtX Development stands for sustainable energy production and climate protection. As project developers, we want to use wind power and photovoltaics to generate green electricity, convert it into hydrogen and use it directly as an energy carrier, energy storage or as a starting point for chemical conversion into other energy carriers or products. Experienced entrepreneurs have come together in PtX Development GmbH and bring in their technical knowledge and financially strong partners. This includes i.a. GP Joule und CILIX Asset Management. In Lubmin we want to develop an industrial electrolysis plant with a capacity of up to 1 GW.
RWE
RWE is a shaper and pacemaker of the green energy world. RWE's portfolio is based on offshore and onshore wind, solar, hydropower, hydrogen, storage, biomass and gas. With a comprehensive investment and growth strategy, the company is expanding its high-performance green generation capacity internationally to 50 gigawatts by 2030. To this end, RWE is investing more than €50 billion gross in this decade. Against this background, RWE has announced that it will build at least 2 gigawatts of electrolysis capacity for the production of green hydrogen by 2030. RWE is involved in more than 30 projects worldwide at all stages of the hydrogen value chain. The company is one of the world's leading producers of electricity from renewable sources. In addition, the company has expertise in the production and storage of green hydrogen. RWE's energy trading business can supply hydrogen to industrial customers on demand. RWE employs around 19,000 people worldwide and has a clear goal: climate neutrality by 2040.
Schwenk Zement
Founded in 1847 SCHWENK is one of the oldest family-owned companies in the German building materials industry. The core business is divided into four divisions: cement, sand & gravel, concrete and pumps. With continuous development SCHWENK combines its strength in the Building Materials Group - in Germany and internationally with holdings and subsidiaries in Central Europe, Northern Europe and Namibia with around 4500 employees. Sustainability is considered a major issue - therefore SCHWENK is committed to determining its contribution to combating climate change.
SEFE
Securing Energy for Europe GmbH (SEFE) is an integrated energy company that is active in various steps along the value chain. Headquartered in Berlin, the state-owned company with more than 1,500 employees has its strongest footprint in Germany and serves industry customers and municipalities. As a midstream player, SEFE focuses on Sourcing & Trading, Sales, Transportation, Storage and Gas Mobility, and on commodities such as Gas & LNG, Hydrogen, and Electricity. Next to securing energy supply for Germany and Europe, SEFE also drives the green energy transformation. Hydrogen is a key enabler on the way to a climate-neutral energy supply of the future and is therefore of importance to SEFE's strategy. Building on its expertise in gas infrastructure, SEFE aims to position itself early along the hydrogen value chain and help accelerate the market ramp-up of green hydrogen.
TES
Tree Energy Solutions (TES) is a green hydrogen company providing long-term, non-intermittent, carbon-neutral, on-demand, industrial-scale energy. TES aims to accelerate the energy transition by leveraging existing global energy infrastructure to provide customers with green hydrogen, green gas and green electricity while accelerating the fossil fuel phase-out of the global energy system and embracing a circular carbon economy. TES is currently developing power supply sites and import terminals in Germany, Belgium, France, the Netherlands, and the United States to create an integrated network of significant global reach. First production and export terminal locations are developed in Australia, the Middle East, and North America.
Vattenfall
A successful energy transition in metropolitan areas and cities like Berlin requires above all a heat transition. To this end, Vattenfall Heat is driving the decarbonisation of urban heating with partners, thereby supporting the goals of the State of Berlin: climate neutrality by 2045. Today, Vattenfall is already actively working on the integration of green hydrogen to create a fossil-free district heating and power supply.
VNG
The VNG Group, headquartered in Leipzig, Germany, is an energy supplier active throughout Europe with a broadly based service portfolio in gas and infrastructure. With its "VNG 2030+" strategy, VNG is pursuing an ambitious path for its commitment to renewable and decarbonized gases. VNG is one of the leading biogas producers in Germany and is actively involved in a number of projects to build a CO2-neutral hydrogen economy with a special focus on eastern Germany.
VNG Handel & Vertrieb
VNG Handel & Vertrieb GmbH, based in Leipzig, supplies national and international trading companies, distributors, municipal utilities as well as industrial and large customers reliable and flexible with natural gas. Innovative products, diverse services and individual concepts for environmentally friendly energy supply offer to our customers a comprehensive support for the implementation of the energy transition.
More Information
Project map: Download
Press release 15th Dec 2022: Flow – making hydrogen happen should be transporting hydrogen from north to south as early as 2025. Three transmission system operators are speeding up the hydrogen ramp-up with a powerful pipeline system. Download press release
Project map: Flow – making hydrogen happen Download
www.ontras.com/de/fokus-wasserstoff/wasserstoffinfrastruktur
www.h2-fuer-bw.de
MosaHYc - Grande Regione Hydrogen
HyPipe Bavaria – The Hydrogen Hub
