Dutch plan North Sea network to pump offshore wind-powered hydrogen to Germany
Gas grid operator Gasunie applies to European Commission for exemption to state-aid restrictions
Hydrogen: hype, hope and the hard truths around its role in the energy transition
The Dutch gas grid operator has applied to the European Commission to grant its plan Important Project of Common European Interest (IPCEI) status in the EU, which would exempt it from usual restrictions on state aid, opening the door for billions of euros of investment.
“In the German government's hydrogen strategy, besides a hydrogen network throughout Germany and large-scale storage facilities, the North Sea plays a crucial role in making German society more sustainable and contributing to greater European energy independence,” Gasunie states.
“From 2030, the amount of hydrogen produced by offshore wind farms and the amount of hydrogen imported from neighbouring countries will increase rapidly. A hydrogen transport network at sea is needed to transport it to land.”
As part of a strategic partnership with German utility RWE, Norwegian oil giant Equinor has already announced plans to pump an initial 2GW of blue hydrogen (made from fossil gas linked to carbon capture and storage) through the pipeline to Germany by 2030.
Germany recently has also announced that a first wind zone with a capacity for about 1GW (called SEN-2) will be tendered off this year that will exclusively be used to produce green hydrogen.