German TSOs stress early need for hydrogen infrastructure

Germany needs to develop infrastructure early to accommodate the 500 hydrogen energy projects that have emerged, FNB, a body representing German transmission system operators (TSOs), has said in its draft 2022-2032 network development plan.

The draft is based on a latest market survey, which estimates that German hydrogen demand will rise to 191 TWh in the 2022-2032 period, 342 TWh in 2040 and 476 TWh in 2050.

"The enormous number of projects clearly shows that we have to provide a hydrogen infrastructure at an early stage," FNB gas chairman Thomas Goessmann said in a statement accompanying the draft's release on June 22. "This is the only way we can make the energy system fit for the future and achieve Germany's ambitious climate protection goals."

Germany's hydrogen-producing electrolyser capacity is expected to reach 1.7 GW in 2027, 2.4 GW in 2030 and potentially 8 GW in 2035, according to FNB. Storage is also needed, and besides internal infrastructure, TSOs are drawing up plans to import hydrogen, with proposals for six projects to bring up to 12.6 GW by 2032 reported to FNB.

FNB will hold a workshop to discuss its development plan on July 1 and interested parties can file suggestions by July 16.