Transmission system operator ONTRAS begins work on hydrogen network in eastern Germany
- Approval for early start of measures for the two infrastructure projects “doing hydrogen” and “Green Octopus Central Germany
- ONTRAS H2 start-up network: 900 kilometres of hydrogen network in eastern Germany
This week, ONTRAS Gastransport GmbH received approval from the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection (BMWK) for the early start of its infrastructure projects “doing hydrogen” and “Green Octopus Mitteldeutschland” submitted to the IPCEI Hydrogen. This means that the Leipzig-based company can start work on the future hydrogen network in eastern Germany.
Hydrogen infrastructure in eastern Germany: ONTRAS H2 start-up network
The two pipeline projects “doing hydrogen” and “Green Octopus Mitteldeutschland” are the core of the ONTRAS H2-Startnetz, the planned pipeline network covering a good 900 kilometres for the transport of hydrogen in eastern Germany. The pipelines will connect producers, storage facilities and consumers of green hydrogen and provide vital access to import points. “We are pleased to be able to start the concrete work on the H2 starter grid. A functioning transport system is the foundation for the hydrogen economy in eastern Germany – and thus for the success of the transformation of our energy system,” says Ralph Bahke, ONTRAS Managing Director Control and Development. His colleague Uwe Ringel, Managing Director Operations and Safety, adds: “We want to build a pipeline network of over 900 kilometres by 2030, mostly by converting existing natural gas pipelines. The technical colleagues are in the middle of the planning. With the BMWK’s decision to start the measures early, we can now put them into action.”
According to both managing directors, it is important that the H2 infrastructure grows organically with the emerging hydrogen economy in order to ensure a high degree of flexibility and security of supply everywhere right from the start. “We therefore appeal to the politicians to create binding framework conditions as quickly as possible to accelerate the rapid development of the H2 start-up network,” said the ONTRAS management.
More see Hydrogen infrastructure | ONTRAS Gastransport GmbH
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