Germany May Import Up to 100 TWh of Green Hydrogen by 2035, Study Shows

A study indicates that Germany could import up to 100 TWh of green hydrogen through pipelines by 2035. This substantial import capacity would play a crucial role in Germany's transition to clean energy, supporting efforts to reduce carbon emissions and enhance energy sustainability. The findings highlight the potential for green hydrogen to become a significant component of Germany's energy mix, facilitating a shift towards more environmentally friendly energy sources.

Boston Brand Media brings you the latest news - Germany could cover up to 100 terawatt-hours (TWh) of its annual energy needs with imports of green hydrogen via pipelines from neighboring countries by the mid-2030s, fulfilling a significant portion of its projected demand, a study revealed on Thursday.

Berlin is aiming to expand hydrogen use as an energy source to reduce greenhouse emissions in highly polluting industrial sectors that cannot be electrified, such as steel and chemicals, and to decrease dependency on imported fossil fuels.

Produced using solar and wind power, green hydrogen is a cornerstone of Germany's planned energy transition. The study by Berlin-based Agora Energiewende and Agora Industry think tanks indicated that by 2035, hydrogen could meet 11.2% of the country's projected 894 TWh total energy demand.

However, Germany will need to import around 50% to 70% of its hydrogen due to limited renewable energy resources.

Currently, Germany uses around 55-60 TWh of hydrogen per year, but it is produced almost exclusively from fossil fuels, according to data from the economy ministry.

The study noted that by 2030, Germany could produce 11 TWh of hydrogen and import about 17 TWh of green and approximately 15 TWh of blue hydrogen, produced from natural gas, via pipelines. This would cover less than half of Germany's total hydrogen demand, projected to reach 95 TWh to 130 TWh by the end of the decade.

However, by leveraging existing natural gas infrastructure in Europe, Germany could increase pipeline imports to between 60 TWh and 100 TWh by 2035, the study stated.

"To achieve climate neutrality, Germany needs a secure and cost-effective supply of renewable hydrogen. Pipeline imports from Europe play a crucial role in this," Simon Mueller, Agora Energiewende director, said in a statement.

To reach this import potential, Germany will need a financing model and must quickly establish agreements on cost-sharing among involved countries, Mueller added.

"This is the only way the required quantities of green hydrogen can be delivered in the first half of the next decade," he stated. Hydrogen producers and pipeline operators will also need assurances about future hydrogen demand from Germany, Mueller noted.

The study examined five potential hydrogen pipeline corridors to Germany, considering factors such as production potential, political support, and technical complexity. Promising corridors include imports from Denmark and Norway via the North Sea and potentially from Sweden and Finland via the Baltic Sea at a later stage due to distance and technical complexity.

In the long term, pipelines from Southern Europe and North Africa, especially Spain and Tunisia, can play a significant role, along with possible imports from the United Kingdom, Portugal, Algeria, Greece, and Ukraine.

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Source: Reuters‍