ANP Production station for hydrogen in Nieuwegein
NOS Nieuws•vandaag, 19:18
Germany will build a hydrogen network worth almost 19 billion euros. It should be fully operational in eight years and connect industrial areas. A future Dutch hydrogen network must also be linked to this.
Germany wants to replace most of its fossil energy with hydrogen to become climate neutral by 2045. The network covers a total of 9,040 kilometers.
Correspondent in Germany Charlotte Waaijers:
“In Germany, they hope to eventually be able to replace coal and gas with hydrogen. This network is an indispensable step in that direction. Also because it connects to ports and foreign pipelines, and Germany will have to source a large part of its hydrogen from abroad for the time being. to fetch.
It still proves difficult to match supply and demand. Last month, Norway’s Equinor released plans to export hydrogen to Germany, because the costs are too high and the demand is too low.
To stimulate that demand, the German government is supporting steel companies, which consume a lot of energy, with billions of euros in converting their production to hydrogen. But this month it turned out that it is uncertain whether steel giant Thyssen-Krupp will continue with such a conversion.”
The network has become 600 kilometers shorter than originally proposed, reducing the estimated costs from 19.7 billion to 18.9 billion euros. Approximately 60 percent of the network will consist of converted gas pipelines, the rest will be newly constructed.
What is hydrogen?
Hydrogen does not occur in nature in a free form, like oil or natural gas. So it has to be made. This is done, for example, with electricity from sun, wind and hydropower. That’s what you call green hydrogen. It is made in an electrolyser, which splits water into hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O2) using green electricity. The traditional way of generating hydrogen is through oil, gas or coal. That’s what you call gray hydrogen.
Hydrogen is not only used as an energy carrier, but also as a building block in industry. It is then used to make other substances. Ammonia, for example, which is then used to make fertilizer.
It is not clear whether the new German hydrogen network will transport green or gray hydrogen.
Germany’s Hydrogen Network: A Jolly Good Adventure or a Chance of H2-Oh No?
Well, well, well, Germany, the land of efficiency and beer, has just unveiled plans to create a hydrogen network worth nearly 19 billion euros. That’s right, folks, they want to swap out fossil fuels for hydrogen! And it only took them… how many years? Eight! I don’t know about you, but I can’t even manage to keep a plant alive for that long.
The Big Idea
This network will stretch a whopping 9,040 kilometers. That’s nearly the distance from Munich to Istanbul! It aims to connect all the industrial hotspots in Germany. Why? Because they want to be climate neutral by 2045! It’s like setting up a Tinder profile that says, “No fossil fuels, please, just pure hydrogen.” Hopefully, it won’t end in ghosting.
Connecting the Dots
Charlotte Waaijers, our correspondent in Germany, reports that the hope is to replace coal and gas with hydrogen. But here’s the kicker: Germany will have to source a significant chunk of its hydrogen from abroad. They’re basically saying, “We want to be green, but we also need some foreign love.”
Yet, there’s a hiccup in the supply chain, as Norway’s Equinor recently found out. Their plans to ship hydrogen to Germany have hit a speed bump because, surprise surprise, the costs are high, and the demand isn’t exactly off the charts! It’s like trying to sell ice to penguins—totally unnecessary!
A Cry for Help
To kickstart this hydrogen party, the German government is throwing billions at steel companies—because, let’s face it, they consume energy like it’s going out of style! But the plot thickens as it appears even thyssen-Krupp, one of the giants in the industry, might not join the hydrogen revolution. Perhaps they prefer to ride on the fumes of yesterday’s success?
Cost Cutting: How to Save a Few Euros
In their wisdom, the German engineers have cut the initial hydrogen pipeline plans by 600 kilometers, knocking the estimated costs down to 18.9 billion euros. Talk about bargain shopping! They’re recycling old gas pipelines to save some cash. It’s like getting a hand-me-down wardrobe but trying to style it as vintage chic.
What’s Behind the Hype?
Now, let’s get into the nitty-gritty about hydrogen itself. Unlike oil and gas, it doesn’t just hang out in nature waiting to be found. No, hydrogen needs help—like a toddler asking for assistance while trying to tie their shoelaces. We’ve got ‘green hydrogen’ created using renewable sources like wind and solar—very eco-friendly! Then there’s ‘gray hydrogen,’ made from oil, gas, or coal. Kind of like choosing between organic carrots or those sad ones from the supermarket bargain bin.
What Will Flow Through These Pipes?
Ultimately, we’re left guessing whether this new German hydrogen network will primarily transport green or gray hydrogen. One thing’s for sure—it’s going to be a fascinating experiment with environmental implications that we’ll be following with more popcorn than a cinema on a Friday night!
Conclusion
So, as Germany sets about building its hydrogen network, we’re left to ponder: will this be a glorious future of clean energy or just another case of “climate-neutral” wishful thinking? With a little luck and billions of euros, they might make it work. Or, it might just fizzle out like a bad sparkler on New Year’s Eve!
