Acceleration instead of delay of H2 grid development in Bavaria

Munich, December 21, 2022 – The plans of the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection (BMWK) for a national hydrogen grid company are incomprehensible, as they would slow down the urgently needed development of hydrogen transport networks without any recognizable added value. Against this background, bayernets GmbH welcomes the clear positioning of Bavaria’s Minister of Economic Affairs and Energy, Hubert Aiwanger, against the BMWK’s plans for a national hydrogen grid company.

bayernets Managing Director Dr. Matthias Jenn: “As a long-distance network operator, we have taken the lead: With our HyPipe Bavaria – The Hydrogen Hub project, we are laying the foundation for a hydrogen start-up network in Bavaria by 2030, 95 percent of which will be realized by converting existing natural gas pipelines. To implement this as quickly as possible, we finally need a clear mandate from policymakers.” Instead of enabling the efficient and rapid development of hydrogen transport networks from the gas transport infrastructure and exploiting synergies between gas and hydrogen network operations, the BMWK’s plans would create new uncertainties in the framework conditions and erect further hurdles.

With HyPipe Bavaria – The Hydrogen Hub, bayernets is implementing a Bavarian hydrogen start-up network. This hydrogen hub with pipelines across Bavaria connects important hydrogen import routes with hydrogen consumers and also creates a network connection between Austria and Baden-Württemberg. There, terranets bw GmbH is planning to connect Baden-Württemberg to the German and European hydrogen infrastructure as part of the “Flow – make hydrogen happen” project. The projects “HyPipe Bavaria – The Hydrogen Hub” and “Flow – make hydrogen happen” thus support the implementation of a Germany-wide hydrogen start-up network.

For the planning of the hydrogen networks, the network operators use their extensive expertise and decades of experience from the natural gas sector. This enables them to offer fast and cost-effective solutions, especially by converting existing natural gas pipelines. A national hydrogen grid society would require the involvement of another actor, thus creating additional interfaces. This would block resources at both network operators and authorities that are urgently needed for planning, construction and operation of hydrogen transport networks.

You can find the press release on the website of our member company bayernets GmbH and below in the downloads.