We are paving the way for hydrogen imports to Bavaria and are shaping a hydrogen hub in southern Bavaria. The HyPipe Bavaria – The Hydrogen Hub project lays the foundation for a hydrogen start-up network in Bavaria by 2030, which will be implemented to 95 percent by repurposing existing natural gas pipelines. With approximately 300 kilometres, HyPipe Bavaria –The Hydrogen Hub is an integral part of the European Hydrogen Backbone, connecting regions with hydrogen demand to numerous potential production regions in Germany and abroad.

The declared goal is to set up the Bavarian Chemical Triangle as a starting point for ramping up hydrogen in the whole of Bavaria in the near future. We are currently implementing the first repurposing project in our network area there, with commissioning planned for the year 2025. In future, a 14-kilometre pipeline-system is to be disconnected from the natural gas grid and will connect hydrogen sources and sinks with each other. Subsequently, the hydrogen network will be incrementally expanded and connected internationally. The Chemical Triangle currently has a natural gas demand of six TWh per year. Substituting fossil fuels means that the industrial customers in this region will require two TWh of hydrogen as early as 2030.

The energy partnership between bayernets GmbH, Bayerngas GmbH and RAG Austria AG has been set up to drive the hydrogen ramp-up in Europe. As part of a specific project, the required framework conditions and processes for the whole value chain will be established across borders and actually implemented for the first time. The declared goal is to develop a high-performance hydrogen supply chain via Austria to Bavaria and thus create prerequisites that will pave the way for a future with hydrogen.

As part of the “HyPipe Bavaria / Ingolstadt H2 Cluster”, the consortium is planning to develop a hydrogen infrastructure in the Ingolstadt area to supply participating industrial sites and the region with hydrogen. Refineries such as BAYERNOIL and Gunvor as well as automotive manufacturers like Audi will soon be able to use sustainable hydrogen to decarbonise their production processes. The network operators bayernets, Energienetze Bayern and SWI Netze are important partners when connecting to the future hydrogen transport network by repurposing existing gas pipelines for hydrogen and developing a regional transport network to connect producers and consumers.

The “H₂EU+Store” project is set up to create required capacities for producing green electricity and hydrogen in Ukraine on the one hand and on the other to increase storage volumes for hydrogen in Austria and Germany as well as make necessary adjustments to the infrastructure for the transport of hydrogen to central Europe. The participating companies drew up and developed the required steps.

With this study and our expertise, we wish to further promote the swift hydrogen market ramp-up in Germany. The focus of the “Quo vadis hydrogen power plants?” study is on the energy-system optimised siting of H₂-ready power plants in order to eliminate congestion in electricity transmission from northern to southern Germany by using hydrogen networks.

Besides developing renewable energies and the related network expansion, secured generation capacities are also crucial on the path to climate neutrality by 2045. These capacities are necessary to handle dark doldrums, generation fluctuations and consumption peaks. New, flexible power plants achieve the greatest efficiency for effectively providing redispatch power in southern Germany. Contrary to the situation in the north, where electricity generated by wind power is already in ample supply, additional power plant capacities conveniently sited near consumption areas in southern Germany can make a significant contribution to congestion management. This means it is necessary to develop the currently planned hydrogen network early and strategically to connect with southern Germany.
 

The SoutH₂ Corridor initiative comprises an approx. 3,300 km hydrogen pipeline that connects North Africa, Italy, Austria and Germany. Led by the four transmission system operators (Snam, TAG, GCA and bayernets), who have each submitted applications to the European Commission as PCI projects, competitive renewable hydrogen is to be delivered to European demand clusters. More than 70 % of the corridor comprises already existing infrastructure, with new pipeline sections to be built if required. The corridor is receiving trilateral political support and strong interest from companies who are participating in producing and purchasing hydrogen along its entire length. The SoutH Corridor will play a decisive role in transporting both imported and domestically produced hydrogen.

The climate protection goals pose significant challenges for the chemical industry. The processes and related infrastructures, which are currently mainly based on fossil fuels, are facing a major transformation. Within the scope of the Trans4In study, industrial companies and infrastructure operators in the Chemical Triangle around Burghausen and Burgkirchen have joined forces with the FfE to chart a way to climate neutrality for the region. Trans4In is part of the TransHyDE TransHyDE flagship project of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).