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Hydrogen network for Lake Constance-Upper Swabia: Future of energy supply!
The south of Germany will be connected to Europe's largest hydrogen network by 2032 to secure energy supplies.
Hydrogen network for Lake Constance-Upper Swabia: Future of energy supply!
In the new glass building of the Schussental Technical Works (TWS) at Ravensburg train station, the future of energy supply becomes tangible! An impressive hydrogen core network that will supply all of Germany with energy by 2032 is taking shape. The Federal Network Agency approved this ambitious project at the end of October, and the costs of a whopping 18.9 billion euros are at stake. With over 9,000 kilometers, it will be the largest hydrogen network in Europe, and the Lake Constance-Upper Swabia region will be a central part of it!
The hydrogen core network is like a highway for energy, and the Schussental Technical Works in Ravensburg are working together with the Friedrichshafen municipal utilities to realize it. The plans envisage hydrogen pipelines leading to Lake Constance and further to the German-Austrian border between Lindau and Bregenz. But exactly where these lines will run remains uncertain. The managing director of TWS-Netz, Helmut Hertle, emphasizes the excellent conditions of the region, which has numerous long-distance gas pipelines to be connected to the hydrogen network.
Hydrogen: The energy source of the future!
The urgency of using hydrogen as an energy source was heightened by the 2022 Ukraine conflict. Germany has high hopes for hydrogen, which can not only be produced in a climate-neutral manner, but can also be transported in existing natural gas pipelines. The goal is clear: an electrolysis capacity of ten gigawatts should be built in Germany by 2030 in order to supply the industry with sufficient hydrogen. Cooperations with countries such as Australia and Canada are already in full swing to secure the necessary quantities.
The “H2 Schussen” project is funded by the state of Baden-Württemberg and aims to ensure the region’s hydrogen supply. Project manager Pascal Wellhäßer is analyzing the gas networks and has identified two variants for the hydrogen pipelines that will lead through the Schussental to the large industrial companies. The costs for checking the pipes are estimated at up to 400,000 euros. But the big question remains: Will hydrogen also be available for private households? The initial focus is on industry, and natural gas pipelines are not going away for now.