The companies behind an ambitious plan to produce green hydrogen using offshore wind and transport it by pipeline to shore have applied for support from the European Commission
GASCADE and Fluxys have applied to the European Commission for ‘Project of Common Interest’ (PCI) status for the AquaDuctus project.
GASCADE managing director Christoph von dem Bussche said the offshore pipeline, which will be more than 400 km long when completed, “will become a linchpin in Germany’s and Europe’s future offshore hydrogen infrastructure.” He emphasised the project’s European, interconnecting character and the fact that it is designed as a ‘backbone’ to collect hydrogen from multiple production sites while also offering the potential to link up with other international hydrogen flows through the North Sea.
Hydrogen will be transported to the German coast via the offshore pipeline and fed into the onshore network. In this way, AquaDuctus will provide large-scale offshore hydrogen infrastructure in the North Sea for hydrogen imported into Germany.
GASCADE and Fluxys have ambitious plans for this project. The first step will see the SEN-1 hydrogen windfarm connected to AquaDuctus, with flows to start in 2030.
In subsequent years, windfarms further offshore in Germany’s exclusive economic zone will be linked up to the hydrogen infrastructure operated by other North Sea countries.
By 2035, they want the pipeline to be a main ‘hydrogen corridor’ carrying up to 1M tonnes of hydrogen a year to Germany.
Fluxys managing director and chief executive Pascal De Buck said, “We believe the AquaDuctus pipeline will be a key element of Europe’s future energy supply and make a significant contribution to security of supply.”
Studies have identified up to 100 GW of potential hydrogen production in the German and European North Sea.
A feasibility study for the project has been successfully completed. The study confirmed the technical and planning feasibility of all phases of the project and also addressed commercial aspects, marketing potential, pricing and regulatory design options.
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